A Bullet for a Kiss
by G123u
Summary: As punishment for offending a powerful magician, Prince Seiker is cursed into a deep sleep. 100 years later, a young boy comes to greet the sleeping prince, but not to awaken him. By accident, the curse is dispelled, leaving the prince awake but bewildered and alone. Forced into becoming the prince's servant, the boy and prince play a dangerous game of love and hate. Image by 剎月血蝶.
1. Prologue

**~ Prologue ~**

Hamel – capital of Senace, a beautiful city of water, built around pure colors of white and blue; a city blessed with a thousand gods and goddesses, with bountiful harvests and game all-year round, overflowing resources, faithful and friendly allies, and citizens that never once saw the horrific sights of war or crime. And in the center of everything, a beloved king.

The 76th king, Helputt Seiker the first, was greatly loved by his people. His accomplishments were varied but outnumbered all his ancestors combined, though he was mainly known for taking the duty upon himself to become a Guardian of Hamel. His endless strength and strong sense of justice earned him the title of the White Colossus amongst his people.

In his 38th year, his wife gave birth to a son. The queen, however, died shortly after giving birth, leaving the young king devastated and their son, motherless. Broken over the death of his beloved, the king secluded himself in politics, and continued to rule his kingdom with logical and justified means. However, he became far too devoted to his kingdom to look after his own son. Despite many pleads and suggestions from the royal minsters and council members, King Helputt refused to remarry, letting his son grow up without ever knowing a parent's love.

The boy – Pally Seiker – grew up very quickly. He was talented in many diverse fields and quickly earned love and respect from his citizens. The boy had one major fault, however, and that was his personality. Although he puts on a kind face and gentle smile for others during official business inquiries, the young prince had a very arrogant and spiteful nature. Perhaps it was due to being raised without parents, that the young prince had developed such a nature. He was not very social, often secluding himself in his private chambers in his spare time. Even as a teenager, the young prince had very few acquaintances and no lovers, and barely showed any signs of interest in others. At the young age of 16, Prince Pally had matured into a beautiful young man, blessed with fine looks that would make even the gods of beauty jealous. His long golden hair, large blue eyes, and pale, delicate skin often deceived many into thinking he was a young female, although his strong alto voice and well-built body proved otherwise.

On March 15th, not too long after the young prince's 16th birthday, a celebration was held in the palace ballroom to commemorate Prince Pally's pre-coronation. Many young women from other royal families were invited, in hopes of being able to charm the prince and acquire a seat beside his throne. One of these women was a high-ranking princess from a large kingdom of magicians in Lurensia. However, her attempts at courting the young prince were harshly rejected by the prince persecuting her choice of clothing and lack of a developed figure. Enraged, the magician cast a powerful curse unto the prince, sending him into a deep and powerful sleep. The magician claimed that as punishment for insulting her, Prince Pally would sleep for at least one hundred years, woken up by a kiss from one who would be able to walk past her magical barrier. The royal family of Senace was given one day, twenty four hours, to prepare his resting grounds and whatnot before the barrier was activated. No other details about the barrier or spell were given.

The prince was dressed in fine clothes of pure snow white, and laid to rest in a small house in a tall forest, far away from the royal castle. King Helputt distanced himself from the matter, driving himself to despair as he convinced himself that his son's misfortune was due to his improper care as a father. He soon fell ill and died shortly after on June 21st, becoming one of the youngest-lived kings of Hamel.

With no other heirs to take up the throne, the city of Hamel was thrown in a pitiful state of melancholy, unsure of what to do. After many months of wallowing in darkness, the royal council members decided to take claim of the royal throne, dividing its power amongst its highest-ranking members, until the young prince awoke.

And so, exactly one hundred years later, the council members started recruiting various males and females to enter the forest and attempt to awaken their prince – all of them, however, ending in failure. Many of the contestants claimed there was an invisible force field surrounding the prince's bed, preventing them from even getting close to him. The sole connection between all the participants was that they admired the prince or had fallen for his looks.

As for the location of the prince's resting place, only the surviving council members and their descendants know. Those who have attempted to wake the prince have sworn to secrecy to not reveal the location, for the young prince's safety.

* * *

Chaser looked over the report in his hands. He glanced upwards, locking his sharp blue eyes with his client`s thin golden ones. He spoke out quietly, his voice like a whispering crow's.

"So the target this time is the prince?"

His client nodded briskly. Chaser growled lightly, annoyed that his target would be asleep and completely defenseless.

_How boring. _He thought to himself. He slowly pushed the marble chair away from the wooden desk and started to get up.

"So you'll do it?"

His client asked hesitantly. The blond male looked down at the older male, a faint smirk visible on his thin lips.

"Of course. 50 million ED, I'll collect it after I'm done."

He turned to leave, stuffing the papers into his pockets as he left the bright and spacious office. Stepping into the hallway, the young boy immediately broke into a sprint, his short ponytail fluttering like an air Nymph speeding by. As he furthered away from the royal palace, the young assassin laughed.

_Ha. A mere commoner plotting to kill his own king. This is gonna be fun..._

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Hello, hello~! So, as you've noticed, I've decided to start a new little story~.

I don't really have a vividly clear idea on this story just set, so the update will probably be very slow, sorry~.

...That's also why this is just a prologue and not a full chapter. XD

But nonetheless, I hope you enjoy this story~!

Also, there was no more room in the summary, but this is indeed an IPxDC fanfic (because the two need more love on FF... ;A;); there will be no OCs, but there will be one-time characters, and there might be character death. Might. I don't know~. /shot

Also, this story is rated T just in case. XD


	2. Chapter 1 - The Sleeping Princess

**~ Chapter One: The Sleeping Princess ~**

Chaser slipped out of the dark alleyway, being careful not to be seen. He quickly donned a simple black trench coat and his signature blue shoulder scarves before merging into the busy crowds, wandering around seemingly aimlessly through the loud and crowded market streets. Salesmen and merchants called out, competing over each other's voices to see who can attract the most costumers, but Chaser paid no heed to any of their words. Eventually, he arrived on Phalenopsis Avenue, an old and abandoned park area near the sunken Resiams. The young assassin darted his eyes around quickly, scanning his surroundings for any possible threats. Seeing none, he immediately turned left and fled straight into the Resiam outskirts.

The blond assassin soon arrived upon a graveyard not too far away from the Resiam entrances. He wove in between the rows of fallen soldiers, those who sacrificed their greatest treasure to defend their people in the Great War against Nasods, and those who survived the war, but decided to take their own lives. Chaser glanced at the names engraved into the tombstones, the words of a cowardly court minster he recently threatened fresh in his mind.

_'The prince's resting chambers are located underground, near the soldiers' graveyard by the Resiam outskirts. Look for one with the name _'White Wolf of Hamel' _and push the tomb aside. It will reveal a hidden passage deep underground, leading to the sleeping prince…'_

Chaser exhaled a deep sigh as he continued to examine each tombstone. He mumbled out their names.

"Elblade Parkins, Aylin Wales, Evaline Phlae, Renae Dudravant, Crow Dyke…"

His eyes glanced at the next tombstone, finally smiling a devious smirk upon reading it.

"Ah, there we are. 'White Wolf of Hamel'…"

The petit male casually walked over to the tombstone, easily pushing it aside, revealing a highly advanced trapdoor of silvery metal beneath it - locked, of course. He bent down to examine it, noticing many colorful wires running through it. The young assassin whistled softly. _'Seems like Hamel was once on good terms with the Nasods…'_ He then focused his attention on the lock. A fairly simple lock, most likely designed for easy access amongst humans. He growled lowly. _'Damn, that shitty minister didn't tell me about this…'_

Chaser ran his fingers through his messy blond hair, grumbling at the extra work he had to do. He reached into his inner coat pocket, taking out a few thin metal pins. His fingers then set to work, diligently picking apart the lock, little by little. He then heard a soft click. The blond scoffed, an arrogant smirk pasted on his lips,

"That was it? Piece of cake."

Glancing around once more to make sure he was not being watched, Chaser opened the trapdoor and jumped down, closing the door behind him and completely ignoring the metal ladder made for… …Less fit individuals. He landed quietly on the hard stone flooring, a feat nearly impossible for one who had jumped almost ten feet. Chaser quickly glanced around. A bland stone tunnel with man-made (rather, Nasod-made) lights imbedded within the walls. Not even twenty feet away laid a simple metal door, obviously leading to the prince's resting grounds.

Chaser stretched his arms, stiffing a yawn. He was glad this mission would be over soon. He laughed lightly, like a child being praised. _'Now to enter the barrier and kill the prince…'_

The blond male walked towards the metal door, turning the doorknob and stepping inside the large, extravagantly designed room. The walls were of a gentle pink, with similarly shaded ribbons and colorful star and heart ornaments dangling from every inch of the ceiling. The floor was of a similar shade as the walls, only slightly darker, with a large, red, heart-shaped carpet in the center. A large, fancy ebony-wooded canopy bed rested on top of the carpet, its translucent curtains lying gently tucked to the sides – a bright shade of pink, of course. The bed sheets, blankets, pillows, were all adorned with hearts of all shapes and sizes, colored soft tinges of rosy pink and magenta. Chaser deadpanned, a sickening feeling rising in his lower stomach regions.

He rubbed his eyes, blinking multiple times before opening them again. The room was still the same. The boy cried out to no one in particular,

"What kind of room is this?! The one who was cursed was the prince right? Is he actually a girl? Or did he have a twin sister or something?!"

Of course, there was no reply. Growling, Chaser raised a hand to his temples in an attempt to calm himself down. _'No matter. What's important is that I kill the person sleeping in that… Putrid bed.'_

Steeling his resolution, the young assassin walked closed to the pink bed, noticing a flickering and fading blue wall near it. _'So this is the barrier huh…' _Chaser stepped closer to the barrier, raising his hand to touch it. The barrier dissolved around his fingers, easily allowing him access to the defenseless prince. He grinned, bringing his entire body into the barrier.

"Well, that was easy."

He walked towards the bed, brushing a curtain aside with one hand as he brought out a small, silver pistol with his other. The blond-haired boy stopped, surprised, finally looking at the sleeping prince's features. The pink blanket was pulled all the way up to the prince's shoulders, revealing only his head and his long, pale neck. The prince's hair was a similar shade to the assassin's, with even the same brown tinted ends, forming dog-like 'ears' on the sides of his head. But his was far much longer than the assassin's. This, along with his feminine face almost tricked Chaser into thinking the prince was actually a female.

Fascinated by their similar appearances, Chaser lowered his hand, tucking his precious gun away safely in his coat. He sat on the edge of the bed and removed his white gloves, leaning over to gently brush the sleeping prince's cheek with the back of his left hand. He found himself mesmerized, slowly tracing over the dainty features on the prince's face with his fingers, as if he was looking at himself, but with longer hair and eyelashes, and a softer-looking face. The sleeping person was like a fairy tale princess, waiting for her prince to awaken her from her lonely sleep.

The blond assassin started to relax, but quickly tensed up again as he remembered his job. He quickly retracted his left hand and took out his beloved silver pistol, reloading it with a single bullet. He recalled the words of client, _'The barrier negates all sorts of attacks inside it as long as the spell is active. Wake the prince and quickly finish him immediately after the barrier is dispelled.'_

Chaser flushed deep red at the thought. He had little romantic experience with anyone before, much less actually kissing someone. Flustered, he quickly shook his head, thankful that no one was there to see his crimson-red face. Focusing on his current goal, Chaser took a deep breath, and leaned over the still body, bringing his face closer to the young prince's. He climbed onto the bed, twisting his body into a more comfortable position as he placed his gun to the right of him, a finger on the trigger, the barrel pointing at the prince's delicate head.

With gentle eyes, the young assassin stroked the prince's pale cheek with his left hand, feeling a little guilty for stealing the beautiful prince's life after a hundred year slumber. He sighed, turning his head away to strengthen his resolve. He was an assassin; he had chosen this dark path. No matter who the target was, he had to accomplish his task - without fail. He looked back at the peaceful face before him, lightly brushing his thumb across the prince's slightly parted lips before returning to caressing his soft cheek. Closing his eyes, Chaser brought his head down, planting his light-pink lips on the prince's own in a deep, tender kiss.

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Aaaaand cut~! Sorry friends, was gonna continue it, but I really can't decide what to do with the following scene so... XD

Also, the title of this chapter is based on the fact that IP looks like a female so... It's not a typo or anything. Well, maybe. No, wait, it isn't. Because we all know IP is secretly a girl. /shot

But in all honesty, I think DC would have a more gentle, "feminine" personality compared to IP... /shotagain

Dammit DC! Stop shooting me! I'm complimenting you here! D /shotx3

Alright, alright, all jokes aside, I just want to make a quick shoutout to an anon reader who reviewed the prologue. Thank you, anon reader, for reading my story, and supporting IPxDC~! *Insert heart here*

Moving on, the next chapter might take a while to be posted, sorry about that~.

To finish off, as usual, thank you for reading this far, and I hope you enjoyed the story. c:

All forms of feedback are greatly appreciated, and I hope you're excited for IP's awakening next chapter~! :D

Also, on a completely unrelated note, that kiss scene took _forever_ to write. How do you people write romance scenes so seemingly easily?! /shot

On a completely different side note, at this moment, when I'm posting this chapter, there are 69 views on the prologue... *Snikers* /shotagain


	3. Chapter 2 - The Start of the Game

**~ Chapter Two: The Start of the Game ~**

Chaser paced back and forth between the bright pink canopy bed. He swung his arms in a child-like frustrated manner, his beloved silver pistol clenched tightly in his right hand. He stopped walking and turned to the person sleeping peacefully in the bed, glaring with a fury of a thousand Hells. He threw up his arms in rage.

"God damn it! Why isn't he waking up?!"

The impatient blond sat down on the edge of the bed, dejected and full of rage. It had been many minutes since he had kissed the prince, but the young royalty did not even stir. The protective barrier glowed dully around the two, its mere existence preventing the young assassin from completing his mission. Chaser sighed quietly, feeling both bored and irritated. With his left arm, he pulled out a second gun from his coat, reloading it with three bullets and pointing the barrel rudely to the slumbering prince's forehead. With his right arm, he placed his first gun on his lap and took out two more bullets from his coat, placing them in the center of his palm. With the same hand, he picked up his gun, swinging it around skillfully as he reloaded extra ammunition into the pistol. He then swung his arm down, letting his hand and pistol land on the bed with a soft 'thump'. He tilted his head upwards, looking at the ceiling of the canopy bed. A soft, gentler sigh escaping from his lips as he closed his eyes.

_'Ugh, how long is this going to take… …Well, at least in this position, I can kill the prince quickly when he wakes up, and eliminate any intruders…'_

Time seemed to pass very slowly as the blond assassin waited for movement from his left side. A yawn escaped from his lips as he raised his right hand – pistol and all – to cover it – a polite habit he could never get rid of. His eyelids drooped lazily as his mind entered a blank state.

A thought entered Chaser's mind, quickly returning him to an alert state of mind. _'What if a kiss is only the key to 'unlocking' his consciousness? And the prince is just sleeping as of now, after his 'mind' was 'awoken'? Which means a kiss and a second method of awakening him is required…' _Chaser deadpanned at the thought, unsure of how to wake the prince up. _'Would shaking the prince work?'_ He shook his head - the fact that the prince has been asleep despite all the racket Chaser made implied that he was a heavy sleeper.

Chaser placed his gun down, raising his right hand to his chin as he continued to think about his current situation. The barrier negated all attacks inside it, rendering even simple motions like slaps harmless. Of course, the bullets from his Silver Shooters would be rendered useless as well, and the young artillery master would much rather not waste precious ammo. What other methods could be used to wake a sleeping person? Chaser's father often dumped a large bucket of cold water on him when he overslept… Chaser furrowed his eyebrows. It wasn't exactly a harmful method, but it wasn't exactly harmless either. _'But… …Would it work?'_

With nothing to risk, Chaser quickly got off the bed, returning his Silver Shooters to his coat pocket. He was thankful that Hamel had an abundance of water sources everywhere. _'Now to find a bucket or something…'_

The young assassin checked over his appearance, straightening his jacket and repositioning his dark blue scarves. He walked towards the metal entrance, stopping when he felt his right foot hit something. He looked down.

"…Eh?"

The object his foot made contact with was the dull, partially invisible, blue barrier, glowing visibly at the point of contact. Chaser pulled his leg back, watching as that area of the barrier faded, returning to its previous state. A weak laugh escaped from the assassin's lips.

"You're kidding… …Right?"

The blond-male raised an arm to the barrier, eyes widening as his hand laid flat on the barrier's visible surface. Feeling slightly panicked, Chaser pounded the wall with his fists, kicked it, even going as far as grabbing a heart-shaped pillow from the prince's bed and throwing it at the blue sphere-like wall. The pillow simply bounced off the invisible surface, landing on the carpeted floor with a soft 'thump'.

Whining childishly, Chaser pulled out one of his pistols and raised his arm, aimed straight at the door in a final act of desperation. His eyes sharpened as he gritted his teeth, expecting the worst. His finger pulled the trigger, his body barely moving from the recoil. Almost instantly after the bullet was fired, it was incinerated into dust, as if it was burned by a powerful, albeit invisible flame. Chaser watched with a shocked expression as the bullet remains scattered amongst the room, spreading the scent of metal and gunpowder throughout the large room. Quivering words arose from the young assassin's lips.

"No way…" He had expected the barrier to repel his bullets somehow, but for it to completely destroy them…

"…Even my orichalcum-made bullets that could pierce through anything were…" Chaser trailed off, unsure of how to react.

Eyes still wide, he slumped onto the ground, utterly defeated. He let out a low whimper as he hung his head in shame. He then recalled the other person trapped with him, and turned his head sharply to glare at the sleeping prince. He quickly picked himself up and stomped over to the prince, his face tensed with rage and his voice filled with venom.

"Dammit! You stupid prince! This is all your fault! Why can't you just wake up already and let me kill you?!"

The furious blond leapt onto the bed, pinning himself on top of the defenseless prince. He picked up the larger male by his collar, completely ignoring the fact that he was wearing a vaguely translucent, white night gown, and slammed him onto the canopy bed wall. The prince did not even stir at the impact. Chaser continued to glare spitefully with his sharp blue eyes as he spat out his next words,

"What, do you need me to kiss you again? Ugh, what kind of stupid curse is this?!"

Without even thinking of his words or actions, Chaser shifted his hands to the prince's broad shoulders, closed his eyes, and forced a harsh kiss unto the unconscious prince.

At that very moment, the beautiful prince slowly opened his large blue eyes, widening them in shock at the face of a stranger stealing his lips. Irritated that someone would dare to invade his privacy while he slept, the prince pulled back his right arm, landing a solid punch on the smaller boy's stomach.

Surprised, the young assassin broke their kiss, uttering a small gasp of pain. However, he was not given the time to react. Following up with his powerful punch, the prince twisted his body and raised his right leg, kicking the blond assassin in the exact same spot. He smirked victoriously as Chaser flew to the wall, past the disappearing barrier, his breath stolen from him as his back made contact with the bright pink wall. He slumped down, his body weak from the collision, an arm clenching his injured stomach regions.

Without giving him a chance to rest, the blond prince quickly leapt off the bed, walking over to the injured boy with a moderately paced, but cocky stride, completely ignoring the rest of the room. With ease, he grabbed the collar of Chaser's jacket, pulled him up and off his feet, and slammed him violently into the wall once more. The smaller boy let out a weak cry at the sudden impact, gasping heavily for breath. With barely any energy left in his fragile body, Chaser could not take out his silver pistols or even claw at his attacker's arm. He merely stared at the taller blond with half-lidded, tired eyes. Breathing heavily, he mumbled out mockingly at the enraged prince, frustrated with himself for letting his emotions take control.

"So… You're finally… Awake…"

The prince raised an eyebrow, still angry at the intruder. With a demanding tone, he questioned the weaker boy.

"How dare you take such a tone with me?! And more so, how dare you invade my privacy while I rested! Who are you and what have you done with my guards?" He slammed the boy into the wall again, earning yet another barely audible cry, but no response to his questions.

Chaser clenched his eyes shut, gritting his teeth as his pain flowed through every section of his body. He felt the grip on his neck area tighten, forcing him to cough and gasp pitifully for breath. He felt tears stinging the corners of his eyes and blinked quickly, forcing them to retreat back inside his body.

"Well?" The impatient prince spat out harshly at the smaller boy, grabbing him with both hands and slamming him into the wall once more. Chaser unwillingly let out a meek cry, humiliated beyond words as tears started streaming down his pale cheeks – an action that had never occurred after his father's death. He bit his lower lip in an attempt to muffle his pathetic cries, as the salty water collected in his eyes, blurring his half-lidded vision.

The blond prince flinched at the unexpected reaction, quickly releasing his grip and watched as the blond assassin fell to the floor, coughing and choking from lack of air, suddenly noticing their similar features. He had caused many princesses and noble ladies, and even his maids to cry, but never a male, much less a boy very close to his age. He watched as the boy propped himself against the wall and raised his right arm, quickly wiping away the tears that gathered on his face. His teeth were clenched tightly, but the prince could still hear the quiet whimpers and cries that escaped from the boy's throat.

Unsure of how to feel about the strange actions of the intruder, the prince got down on his knees and on top of the smaller male, placing his knees beside the boy's hips and positioning his shins and feet over Chaser's own legs, pinning his lower body down. Without missing a beat, he grabbed the boy's right wrist with his left arm and pried the arm away from the boy's red, tear-stained face despite his soft, airy demands.

"Let go..!" Chaser swung his spare arm at the prince's face, his hand clenched loosely in a pitiful excuse for a fist. His slow motion was easily caught by the prince's spare hand, and like his right arm, pulled away from his face. Exasperated, Chaser shifted his body, trying to escape from the larger male's grasp. But he was far too tired and the prince's grip was far too strong. He called out again, his eyes still blurry with tears and his voice still shaky,

"I said… Let go of me…!"

The blond prince ignored his quiet cries and brought his face a little closer to the boy's, continuing to stare at the assassin's face – a face very similar to the one he saw when he looked in the mirror…

Chaser continued to struggle under the larger male's grip, but with no success. Accepting defeat, he hung his head and turned his face aside, hoping his long bangs would cover his red and teary face. He bit his lower lip in shame, quietly sniffling as more tears continued to fall from his eyes without his permission. He refused to make any eye contact with the blond prince, though he was slightly curious as to how he was able to make the blond assassin cry even though he had endured greater pain than this. Was it because they looked really similar? He doubted it, but could come up with no other possible theories.

The prince let out an annoyed sigh, shifting his hands to grab both of Chaser's small, delicate wrists with his only his left hand. With his right hand, he grabbed the boy's chin, turning his red face to meet his own. Chaser inhaled sharply at the unexpected motion, feeling his face flush when their eyes met. He quickly looked away, as much as possible with his head movement restricted. The blond prince brought his face closer, as he gently tilted the boy's head left and right, examining his features. Though his face did not show it, the prince was very surprised at their similarities. Same large blue eyes; same small nose; small rosy lips; even the same hair color, with the same brown 'spots' on the sides of the head. The prince felt uneasy around the smaller male. Was he a clone, or were their similar looks purely a coincidence? He did not know, but was extremely curious. He wanted to learn more about this male, despite the treacherous acts he recently committed.

Chaser, on the other hand, felt extremely uncomfortable trapped in the prince's grip. No matter where he looked, Chaser could see the prince's eyes staring straight at him, as if they were examining every piece of flesh and hair on his body. Being an assassin, and a well-known one amongst the residents of the red-light district, he was not used to being looked at for so long. He did not enjoy the feelings of unease that arose from the prince's stares, but he was far too embarrassed to counter back.

Eventually, Chaser stopped sobbing, and his tears all dried up, leaving a stiff, uncomfortable feeling on his skin. Seeing him calm down, the prince unconsciously moved his right hand to the assassin's cheek, caressing it lightly while wiping away the dried tears with his thumb. Chaser widened his eyes at the action as he felt his face redden even more. Taking advantage of the prince's carelessness, Chaser quickly turned his head, releasing it from the prince's grip, fully aware of the vibrant blush on his cheeks, and his loud, unusually fast-paced heartbeat.

Retrieved from his trance, the prince looked down at the young assassin once more before closing his eyes and sighing deeply. Noticing a gleam of silver from each side of the boy's coat pockets, he moved his hands towards one, revealing a well-crafted silver pistol. Assuming the other pocket held the same, he stealthily took both pistols while their owner was too flustered and panicked. The blond prince then released his grip, letting the boy's arms fall slowly, and stood up. Being careful to hide the guns in the pleats of his knee-length nightgown, he walked back to the pink bed with a casual stride, finally noticing the sickeningly designed room he was in. Turning to face the boy again, the prince sat on the edge of the bed, crossed his bare leg over the other and tossed back a lock of his luscious, golden hair, hiding the silver weapons behind him. He watched as Chaser calmed himself down, rubbing his face with the heels of his palms in a childish manner.

"Hey, are you going to answer now?"

Chaser flinched at the prince's voice. He quickly picked himself up, dusting off his long coat and pants. He clenched his right arm and shifted his feet nervously, unsure of how to react – with being caught by his target for the first time ever. Was he going to be killed? Tortured to reveal information? He did not know, and did not wish to know. Avoiding eye contact, he responded, his voice more clear than it was a few mere moments ago,

"…I have nothing to answer to you."

The corner of the prince's lips rose in a devious smirk, his eyes glistening with mischief as his fingers danced over the silver prizes he hid behind him.

"Oh? Then how about we make a deal? You answer my questions…" The prince brought out the two guns, waving them tauntingly with his left hand.

"…And I'll think about giving these back to you?"

Chaser's eyes widened at the sight of his beloved pistols. He frantically checked his coat, but to no avail. He cursed silently. _'Shit! When did he…'_

The prince chuckled lightly as the assassin crossed his arms and pouted childishly, reluctantly muttering a quiet "fine". _'What strange actions for one who has come to take my life…'_

He decided to start with a basic question,

"What's your name?"

The boy looked away, biting his lips and thinking deeply before re-making eye contact, his eyes sharp and his tone sarcastic. He was not going to back down without a fight.

"…Chaser, your highness."

The prince laughed lightheartedly, more amused than offended by his words. For the first time in his life, someone did not treat him with false kindness simply because he was the prince of a powerful kingdom. He appreciated that. But at the same time, he wanted to overpower the boy; show him who was in control.

"So you already know I am. That makes things a lot easier. Now then…" His eyes narrowed as his voice turned serious.

"Who sent you?"

Chaser flinched, unsure of how to reply. It would be foolish to give away the name of his client, and Chaser did not wish to taint his name or ruin his business.

"…A citizen of Hamel."

"That's not very specific…"

Chaser scoffed. "Fine then, a _male _citizen of Hamel." He announced triumphantly, a confident smirk pasted on his lips. The prince stared, speechless, before erupting in uncontrollable laughter. Chaser could only stare, unsure of what to think of the strange prince.

"Ahaha! You're a very amusing assassin..." Wiping a tear away, the prince collected himself. He greatly enjoyed the presence of the other male, despite being a murderer. He was not forced to be polite and did not have to drown in the emotionless praise of a greedy narcissist lusting for power. The assassin merely saw the prince as another human being, and he appreciated that. Re-focusing his mind, he cleared his throat, preparing to ask another question.

"In that case, where are we? This is clearly not my room—"

"It's not?" Chaser raised an eyebrow, half-serious, half-joking. The prince continued, completely unfazed.

"Of course not, though I'm sure you'd enjoy sleeping here much more than I do. I can give it to you, if you'd like, though I merely ask that you not stain the bed sheets with you or your lovers' essences."

Chaser felt heat rise to his face. He quickly looked away, raising his arm to cover his blushing face. The prince chuckled as he felt a strong urge to tease the innocent boy.

"What? Don't tell me you're still a virgin."

The blond assassin flinched at the comment, feeling his face flush with heat, unsure of how to respond, but too embarrassed to admit or deny it. The prince couldn't help but smile at the boy, completely different from the lewd and self-centered nobles and royalties that he would be forced to meet on a daily basis. Still smiling, he shook his head, trying his best not to continue teasing the already-flustered boy.

"So then, care to answer what day it is and where we are?"

The air turned serious. Chaser lowered his arm, thankful that the red on his face was quickly fading away. Avoiding eye contact, he answered the prince's questions, choosing his words carefully as to not terribly upset the prince.

"We are underground, in a resting place built for you, after you were placed under a curse. The date is…" He trailed off. Taking a deep breath, the blond assassin continued in a more solid voice.

"The date is March 27th, Imperial Calendar 427, a little more than one hundred years since you fell asleep…"

As expected, the prince stared with a shocked expression, his mouth slightly open, as if he wanted to say something. Instead, he simply closed his eyes and let out a lonely sigh. Looking downwards with solemn eyes, the blond prince continued to speak, his voice firm and resolved as it was before, showing no signs of weakness.

"So I guess my father's dead now."

"...Yes, King Helputt fell ill and died a few months after you were cursed…"

"…"

The prince uncrossed his legs and rested his elbows on his knees He clasped his hands together – guns and all - and hung his forehead gloomily on his hands.

Chaser opened his mouth, but quickly closed it, unable to reply. He knew all too well the complicated feelings that arose when he lost his own beloved father. He recalled from his report that King Helputt was not a very loving father to the prince, but he was almost certain that the young prince held at least some respect or bond with his father. Taking a deep breath, Chaser walked towards the prince, feeling unusually sympathetic, and hoping to be able to comfort the prince somehow. Stopping just before the sullen prince, Chaser raised his arms, about to pull the prince in a tight embrace when—

"…Damn old man, dying early and forcing me to take care of this shitty country…"

"…Eh?"

Chaser lowered his arms, bewildered and completely unsure of how to reply now. Unfazed, the prince sat up straight, eyes closed and brows furrowed, combing his fingers through his long hair with an irritated sigh. He raised his head and opened his eyes, a little surprised to see the petit assassin so close to him. Remembering that he had the boy's guns, he smirked arrogantly at the blond assassin before him, his bright blue eyes shining banefully.

"Hey, how about we play a little game?"

The smaller male furrowed his brows slightly, knowing all too well that there was nothing good about the beautiful prince's devious smile. He took a cautious step back, earning a light laugh from the blond prince.

"Don't worry, it's not that bad. I just want you to become my personal servant."

The assassin blinked, surprised. Here he was, a stranger who was plotting to kill him, and yet, the prince wanted him by his side? Chaser glanced down at the prince with a confused look, a cold shiver running down his spine as their eyes locked. The prince continued to smile.

"I'll explain the rules of the game. You will return with me to the royal castle, as my private servant – so you will listen to my basic orders and serve me, and only me. You can try to kill me as many times as you want until you succeed or give up." A pause. The prince crossed his legs again, his eyes shining with a playful mischief.

"But, for every failed attempt, you have to obey one of my commands, regardless of how unreasonable it is. Of course, I won't tell you to kill yourself or anything like that. And I'll give you your precious guns back too."

The two continued to stare at each other in silence. After a while, Chaser scoffed, smirking haughtily at the prince. He knew very well that he was stepping into unbound territory, bound to get killed, but he could not resist the temptation to prove to the prince that he was the better man. Plus, he refused to let some ignorant prince run off with his beloved pistols. A flame burned in his bright blue eyes as he thought of ways to pay back his recent humiliation by ten—no, by a hundredfold.

"Is that a challenge? Well then, of course I accept!"

The prince smiled, a similar light shining feverishly in his eyes. Standing up, he placed the two pistols in the boy's open hands, laughing mentally as he watched the boy hastily tuck the guns away in his midnight-black coat. He walked towards the door, turning back to face the blond assassin.

"Oh yes, before I forget. First of all, you will refer to me by my given name – Pally. Just that, nothing else. And second," He smirked.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone of how you were crying pitifully just a few moments ago."

"W-wha—"

Pally chuckled as he watched the smaller boy grow red and flustered over the mention of him crying. Pretending not to hear his claims of denial, the prince continued to speak.

"I don't have any reason to not believe you, with what you said about this being the future. But in that case, that means the royal council members probably split the power of the throne between them. In that case, let's hurry back to the royal palace, so that I can reclaim my rightful position as crown heir to Hamel."

Pally grabbed the metal doorknob and turned it, but quickly let go as he remembered something important.

"Oh yes! Since you already tried to kill me when you came in here, that means I get one command to use right now. So! Since I can't be seen walking around with such a thin piece of fabric on…"

He turned to face Chaser, a vibrant and deluding smile formed on his lips.

"Take off all your clothes, and we'll switch until we reach the castle."

"No fucking way!"

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Alrighty, I was able to come up with an ideal scene for this one scene, yay~. Though, I feel as though I somehow completely reversed their personalities, from the beginning of this chapter to the end of it... orz

On a side note, I'm sorry about the last part, I couldn't resist. XD /shot

But I don't plan on answering whether or not they switch clothes - I'll leave that up to your imagination~.

But uh, yeah, here's the second chapter, hope you liked it~! It's about four times as long as the previous chapter too, which is nice. XD /shot

And now, time to respond to my wonderful anon reviewers~!

**IPxDC fan anon:** Thanks for your kind words! I'm so glad that kiss scene met up to your expectations. ;w; I hope you like this chapter just as much as the first~ (and prologue)!

**Second anon, whose OTP is not (yet /shot) IPxDC: **I'm glad you like this story, even if IPxDC isn't your OTP. XD No, seriously, thank you for reading it. :'3 And, uh, I'm gonna hope that you liked the kiss scene. XD And don't die now! The story has yet to start~. *Uses RES Stone*

As usual, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are excited for the next one~. c:

Feedback of any sorts is welcomed with opened arms (except for IPxDC hate, which will be incinerated into specks of dust by the flaming passion of us IPxDC fans /shot)~.


	4. Chapter 3 - The Master's Orders

**~ Chapter Three: The Master's Orders are Absolute ~**

Pally stepped out to the white-marble balcony, smiling and waving gracefully to his people cheering miles below, a bland-looking servant and old council minster following behind him. Due to his sudden awakening, the council members were unable to prepare a more formal arrival, or tailor new clothes for the beautiful prince. But the blond prince was thankful for disrupting their plans, glad that he did not have to stand for hours on end while waiting for old women to measure his body and argue endlessly as to whether sky blue or azure blue was a better choice for his tie. For today, he simply wore one of his previous outfits – slightly surprised it still fit him quite comfortably – composed of a simple light blue noble's suit with gold lining. Pally cleared his throat, preparing his voice to speak over the millions of people gathered before him.

"My people, I am honored that you have gathered here to welcome me back to Hamel. I am certain that you have suffered greatly in the dark times that arose when my father died, and I fell asleep, and I apologize for that." He paused, waiting for the noisy commoners to end their cries of denial and rejoice.

"But alas, I have returned, and I am filled with joy that Hamel was able to thrive with the help of her people, even without the royal family. As of today, I, Pally Seiker, first son of the 76th king, will take up my rightful place upon the throne as the crown prince. As I have much to learn about the world, my faithful ministers will be assisting me, and guiding me to the path of a brilliant king, much like my father. I hope that I will be able to maintain this lovely peace and beauty and Hamel, and I hope that you will lend me your strength, for our marvelous country of Senace. " More cheers erupted as the prince paused to take a breath. Although his speech was finished, the blond prince was feeling slightly mischievous. He raised his right hand, silencing his people.

"As I'm sure you've all been wondering, I have kindly asked the person who arose me from my deep sleep to accompany me today." He beckoned to a servant nearby, whispering a few words into the bland male's ear. The servant turned and quickly exited, returning shortly with another male in tow. The second male wore black pants with a matching tailcoat, both decorated with elaborate blue lining, paired up with fine, silken white gloves – the uniform of those who served directly under the royal family. Pally beckoned to the second male, chuckling lightly as he returned with a sharp glare. Pretending not to notice, the blond prince turned back to the crowd.

"I present to you, Chaser, a brave young man who was able to penetrate the irksome barrier and dispel the curse that resided in my body." Chaser stood beside the bright prince, clasping his hands on front of him meekly, attempting to avoid any eye contact. Murmurs spread through the large crowd over the newcomer – why did he greatly resemble the prince? What was his reason for being there? What was his relation to the prince? The people did not know, and their cunning prince felt no reason to tell. Pally raised his hand again as the noise quieted down. The citizens before him all stared, eager to hear what their beloved prince had to say.

"For various reasons, Chaser wished to stay with me, and has decided to take up the role of my personal servant." More murmurs continued to spread like wildfire through the crowd, as Chaser felt his own cheeks redden with heat. _'That damned prince, telling such a lie…'_

He desperately wanted to kill the prince out of embarrassment, but with so many witnesses around, it would be obvious who the culprit was. He bowed his head, hoping that his blushing face would not be evident to the millions before him. Pally glanced at the smaller male beside him; fawning over how fun he was to tease. The blond prince looked away, resuming eye contact with the million pairs of eyes that stared from below.

"That will be all. I hope you will treat our new companion just as well as you have treated me and my family who came before. Thank you." With a slight bow, the white-clad prince briskly turned on his heels and exited the balcony, as deafening cheers echoed from behind. Still feeling slightly flustered, Chaser too, quickly bowed and left after the prince, noticing the elderly minister gazing coldly at him.

The blond assassin lightly ran across the long, earthly-colored carpeted hallway, slowing down as he caught up with the taller prince. He felt a little annoyed, that the citizens of Hamel would blindly follow even a cold-hearted ruler like the one in front of him. Seeing no one in sight, he pulled out a small switchblade hidden in his dark sleeves. Without making any noise, with the exception of his even footsteps, Chaser quickly jabbed at the prince's back, a simple stunning technique used against weaker targets or those sensitive to pain. However, just as the blade was about to make contact, the blond prince quickly turned around, seizing the assassin's bladed hand, gripping his delicate wrist tightly. He laughed.

"Did you really think you could kill me with that, just now?" He asked mockingly. Chaser scoffed in response.

"Of course not, I was just… …Testing you, per say. It would be really boring for me if you died so easily."

The assassin swung his hand, attempting to escape out of the prince's grip, but to no avail. He growled lowly, slightly irritated. The prince laughed at the smaller boy's reaction, bringing his face closer as he chided the boy.

"Oh? And who was the one who beat you up so badly that you started crying like a little child?"

Chaser blushed at the unpleasant memory. He quickly turned his head away, covering his pink cheeks with his free arm as shame and unease spread through his body.

"Sh-Shut up… I did not…"

The prince chuckled once more, releasing his grip on the boy's small wrist. The assassin quickly retracted the switchblade, rubbing his wrist as he continued to pout childishly. Unable to suppress the urge to continue teasing him, Pally patted the boy's soft head, chuckling as he flinched from the touch. He then proceeded to gently stroke the top of his head, earning a very surprised look from the shorter boy. Without missing a beat, Pally then started to ruffle his messy blond hair, as if the assassin was a small animal for him to play with.

"H-Hey!"

Chaser swatted his hands at the boy's arm unsuccessfully, growling as the prince continued to mess up his hair.

"You're just like a cat." Pally said teasingly.

Chaser huffed, pouting like a little child, and bowed his head down, escaping from the prince's grasp. He combed his fingers through his pale blond hair, muttering childish, silly insults at the taller male.

"…Stupid, perverted prince…"

Said prince laughed at the remark, retorting back with an insult of his own.

"Oh? In that case, aren't you the bigger pervert, for craving the attention of this stupid, perverted prince?"

"W-What?!"

"See, you're even blushing."

"I-I am NOT blushing!" Chaser hissed back, glaring daggers at the laughing prince. He felt heat rise to his face, but refused to believe that he was blushing, especially at the words of this… _'Stupid, perverted prince…'_

Without missing a beat, Pally turned around and continued to walk. He took a few steps before looking over his shoulder, beckoning the petit assassin to follow.

"Come on now, let's hurry to my office – there's bound to be piles of paperwork dumped there by those damn ministers."

With a childish "hmph", Chaser composed himself, walking quickly to stay in pace with the blond prince. The two walked in silence for many moments. The hallways were empty, with the occasional passerby servant bowing deeply at the sight of their employer.

As if he had suddenly remembered something important, Pally stopped walking and called out to a generic-looking maid nearby. With a bright smile and energetic tone, he inquired about the uniforms of the royal maids.

"Are there any cerulean blue ones in size… 25-ish? One with a large ribbon on the back?

Without making any eye contact, the maid bowed, before replying fluently, without any hesitation.

"No, your highness. However, there is a light, ice-blue uniform in size 24. Would you like me to fetch that for you?"

Pally smiled brightly at the maid. "That'd be perfect, thanks. Please bring it to my office as soon as you can."

"Understood." The maid bowed once more and left quickly down the long hallway. Chaser watched as her small figure disappeared down the bright hallway, unsure of what to think of their short conversation. _'Oh well, it's probably nothing that important to me…'_ He shook his head, pushing the thought aside as he continued to walk beside the blond prince.

Eventually, the blond duo arrived at a simple, ebony-wooded door. Without any hesitation, Pally grabbed the doorknob, swinging the door open as he stepped inside the large, clean office. The walls were of a cream white, with a small but fancy crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. The floor was covered completely with a furry, white carpet, completely void of any dust or stains. A large, wooden clock hung itself above the door, silently counting away the seconds. A simple, dark oak-wood writing desk covered in stacks of paper was near the back of the room, in front of three large and tall windows that showed the royal gardens below, currently covered by red and gold curtains. In front of the desk, a simple but elegant glass coffee table, with white-leather sofas on opposing sides of the table. The right side of the room was covered by a large wooden bookcase, filled almost to the brim with thick books of politics, history, human rights, and more politics. The left side of the room was almost bare, save for the large potted plant near the front, and a large portrait of the late king and his wife.

Pally walked over to the desk, seating himself comfortably in the fancy, red-velvet lined, ebony-wooded chair. He watched as Chaser entered the room cautiously, quietly closing the door behind him. The blond prince patted his left armrest, calling out to the assassin.

"Come over here."

Chaser listened obediently, glancing around the room and taking in every little detail. As he walked over to the prince's left side, a sharp knock was heard on the door. Pally tossed back a strand of loose, golden hair as he invited the guest in.

"You may enter."

The brown door opened as the maid from before entered, carrying with her a set of gentle-blue and white clothes, and a pair of flat, black Mary-Jane shoes on top of the clothes, placed upon a separate fabric to avoid dirtying the white fabrics beneath it. She took a step into the room, her eyes never leaving the floor. She bowed.

"I have brought the clothes you requested, your highness."

Pally gestured to the sofa on his right.

"Thank you. Please leave it there."

The maid bowed, walked over to the white sofa, and gently laid down the fine clothes she brought.

"That is all. You may leave now."

With yet another bow, the simple maid left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Chaser looked at the folded clothes, curious as to why the prince was looking for them.

"Now then, Chaser…"

The assassin shivered, feeling a cold jolt of electricity run up his spine. He could feel the prince's eyes gazing sharply at him, and although his tone was gentle, Chaser could sense the menace his tongue held. He looked away; still fully aware of the dreadful premonition he was feeling.

"…What is it?"

The prince chuckled.

"Don't be so tense. I just want you to wear those clothes. That butler uniform doesn't really suit you all that well."

_'Oh, is that it?' _Chaser exhaled a soft sigh, relieved that it wasn't something treacherous. He walked over to the sofa and picked up one of the articles of clothing, his face deadpanning as he saw it unfold to its full size.

_'…Oh.'_

There were four parts to the outfit (six, technically) – the black heelless shoes accompanied by thigh-high, laced, white stockings; a pair of white gloves; a pair of white shirt cuffs with an azure stripe in the middle, laced; a frilly blue headband with similar colored ribbons on each side; and the main piece, a simple, short-sleeved, one-pieced sky-blue maid uniform with a white, lower-waist apron (laced) attached, and a large white ribbon on the chest. Chaser raised the dress, noticing that the skirt would reach just below his thigh, not quite to his knees. He flipped the dress around – the back was very simple too, with a tiny zipper running from the center down near the top of the skirt, and an even larger white ribbon near the waist, connecting to the apron up front. He lowered his arms and glared at the smirking prince.

"…You expect me to wear _this_?"

The prince responded, barely able to restrain his laughter.

"Well, I was always surrounded by maids as a child, since I wasn't old enough to have a butler tend to my needs…"

The young assassin scoffed at the prince's measly excuse. He threw the dress down, cross with the prince's carefree and mocking nature.

"What, you're not going to put it on? I think it'll look really sexy on you~." As if to further convince him, the prince winked seductively, earning a maddening blush from the assassin. The smaller boy quickly looked away, covering his face with his arm.

"Sh-Shut up, you perverted prince! Whatever you say, I absolutely refuse to wear—"

"So you're giving up on our game?"

Chaser recalled his recent assassination attempt, and how the prince had not used a command yet. His face flushed even more in shame as he tightly clenched the bottom of his coat. He quickly glanced at the prince – casually resting his left elbow on the armrest, and leaning his head against it. The blond prince smirked, locking his sharp eyes with the boy's similar blue orbs, resulting in the boy shifting uncomfortably, a crimson-red blush creeping up to even his ears.

"You don't have to wear the gloves, if that makes you feel any better."

The petit boy scoffed, replying sarcastically, his face still colored a vibrant red,

"That helps a lot…"

Pally chuckled, amused by his companion's words. He lifted his head slightly, twirling a strand of his long golden hair as he continued to tease the smaller boy.

"So, are you going to strip, or would you like me to help you?"

The blond assassin flinched at the prince's words, feeling his face heat up even more. His pride would not let him be seen in such a shameless outfit, but he was far less willing to retreat from their game after accepting so confidently. He growled lowly, picking up the dress once more. He glared harshly at the amused prince, hissing out coldly,

"…I'll dress myself."

Chaser started to walk towards the door, but stopped as a familiar voice called out to him.

"Where are you going? You can change here; we're both guys after all."

The prince smirked deviously at the red-faced assassin. Reluctantly, Chaser walked back towards the sofa, tossing the clothes down carelessly.

"…Fine. But close your eyes, and don't you DARE open them!"

Pally laughed lightly, before replying with a few "Okays". He leaned back in the chair, clasping his hands together while resting his elbows on the armrests, and closed his eyes, a playful smile still pasted on his rosy lips.

Chaser whimpered quietly, being extra careful not to be heard by the sly prince. He had already accepted the rules of their game – it would be shameful to back away now…

Steeling his resolve, Chaser turned to face the corner of the wall, making sure his back was turned towards the blond prince. He slowly unbuttoned his black coat, working his way down, his fingers trembling nervously, his face still a bright shade of red. Letting the coat fall to the ground, the blond assassin started to unbutton the white dress shirt he wore underneath, but at a much slower speed. He stopped, quickly glancing over his shoulder to double-check that the prince still had his eyes closed. After confirming that Pally had kept his side of the deal, Chaser continued to undress himself.

Unbeknownst to the young assassin, the prince opened his eyes slightly, squinting, and seeing that the boy was not watching him, fully opened them. He blinked in surprise at the boy's bare and clean back. For such a skilled assassin to be completely uninjured… The prince smiled, praising himself mentally for such a lucky find. _'Though that also explains his unusual behavior back in that pink room, with never being caught before...'_

Seeing the boy about to turn around, Pally quickly closed his eyes. After a few moments of silence, save for the rustling clothes, Chaser had successfully donned the maid dress, though he kept his pants on. He fidgeted with the ribbons on his back, unable to properly tie them. Pouting, he gave up, deciding to focus on the footwear instead. Slipping off his current shoes and socks, he picked up one of the long stockings, unsure of how to put it on without taking his pants off. He sighed irritated and dropped the stocking, picking up the two shirt cuffs and clipping them around his small wrists. Ignoring the headband, Chaser moved his hands behind his back, attempting once more to tie the large ribbons into a decent-looking bow. He pouted, unsuccessful.

Pally opened his eyes slightly, and noticing the assassin having extreme difficulty, called out to him.

"Do you need any help? You're taking an awfully long time with such a simple outfit…"

"No!" Chaser immediately rejected the offer, preoccupied with the ribbon. The prince sighed at the assassin's stubbornness, closing his eyes once more.

"If you say so…"

After a few seconds of incomprehensible mumbling from the blond assassin, Chaser cried out victoriously.

"I've done it!"

The prince smiled.

"So I can open my eyes now?"

"Absolutely not!"

The prince exhaled slowly, patiently waiting for the smaller male to finish dressing. Eventually, he heard Chaser call out to him.

"You can look now."

Pally opened his eyes, his smile disappearing instantly when he saw that the assassin had not fully dressed himself in the maid uniform. Displeased, he pointed to the boy's black pants, flicking his finger.

"Pants, off. And put the headband on."

The boy flushed at the prince's words, and whimpered childishly. With no other option to choose from, he called out quietly to the prince, very embarrassed by his current situation.

"…Close your eyes."

Pally smiled reassuringly, before closing his eyelids once more. A few moments later, he opened them again at Chaser's call, more pleased than before. The blond assassin rubbed his legs together, fidgeting uncomfortably in the outfit. He pulled the skirt down as much as he could, pressing it against his body as he whined about how airy the dress was.

The prince stood up, and walked over to meet the boy. With a slow stride, he circled the young assassin, right hand on his chin, left hand placed alluringly on his hips, his blue eyes examining the fine piece of art displayed before him. After a full circle, he stopped in front of the red-faced boy, and stroked the boy's chin with his left index finger, while whistling seductively with one eye closed.

"Just as I thought, it looks really good on you."

"Sh-Shut up, you stupid, perverted prince…"

Pally laughed at the insult. With a fast pace, he walked back to the leather chair and sat down, sighing dejectedly.

"We should probably start working now." He glanced up at the clock across the room, noticing that it was almost three o'clock. "On second thought, let's wait until after we finish our afternoon tea."

As if on cue, a solid knock was echoed from the door. Chaser quickly ran over to the prince, hiding his lower body behind the oak-wood desk. The blond prince chuckled lightly as the assassin clenched his hands together politely in front of him. He then turned his attention to the door, calling out with a serious voice.

"You may enter."

A simple-looking maid – different from the one who brought the clothes – entered the room with a fancy, circular metal tray, covered with a fine-china tea set decorated with beautiful green and red oriental flowers, and a matching plate with six pieces of fluffy bread. She placed the tray on the glass table, and bowed before the prince, speaking in a monotonous voice.

"Today's snack is honey-filled rosemary rolls with Darjeeling tea."

She picked up the teapot, but was stopped by the prince.

"No need. Thank you though." He pointed to the uniform Chaser wore not too long ago.

"Please take those down to the laundry room. There is no need to return them."

Without even appearing surprised or upset, the maid placed the teapot down gently back on the tray and bowed. She walked over to the messy pile of clothes and picked them up, quietly leaving the room without another word. As soon as she left, Pally turned to his new servant, questioning in a mocking tone.

"You know how to pour tea, right?"

Chaser crossed his arms and scoffed in reply. "Of course I do. I'm not some stupid prince who can't do anything by himself."

The prince laughed lightly, completely unfazed by the boy's harsh words.

"In that case, please pour a cup of tea for this poor prince who can't do anything. Add in three sugar cubes, please. Feel free to pour yourself a drink too, or take one of the rolls if you're hungry."

The assassin blinked in surprise.

"You're not gonna eat? It's been hours since breakfast though…"

The prince smirked mischievously, his voice sweet and taunting.

"Oh? Are you worried about me?"

"Of course not!"

The blond assassin looked away quickly as he felt his cheeks heat up. He cursed mentally. _'That stupid, stupid pervert…'_ He walked over to the tray, bending down slightly to pick up the teapot and pour the light-orange liquid into two teacups. He lifted the lid on one of the wider pots, giggling victoriously as he picked up a sugar cube with two fingers and popped it into his mouth. He rolled the cube around with his tongue, smiling cheerfully as the sweet taste covered his entire mouth. _'As I thought, sugar is definitely the best!'_

In a more upbeat and daring mood, Chaser opened a packet of powdered ricin hidden in his right shirt cuff – a deadly poison that prevents human cells from preventing protein, slowly killing them off one cell at a time. With the same hand, he picked up three sugar cubes, and, making sure the prince was not watching, quietly slipped everything into one of the teacups. Hiding the empty packet, the young assassin picked up a roll of bread, stuffing a part of it into his mouth as he watched the white powder dissolve in the tea.

Picking up both teacups and saucers – one in each hand – he walked back to the desk, placing the poisoned cup near the prince's hand while holding onto his own. The blond prince picked up the stirring spoon on the saucer, and started to lazily stir his tea. He then stopped, placing the spoon down as he leaned on his right arm and turned to face Chaser.

"Hey, lemme have a sip of your tea. I'm no longer in the mood for anything sweet."

The young assassin furrowed his brows slightly, taking out the bread to reply properly.

"Why? That's such a waste. Plus, I already drank from mine."

"It doesn't matter, if I get sick, just call a doctor." Pally retorted calmly. With sharp eyes and a knowing smirk, he continued, "Plus, it's obvious you poisoned my cup. With what, I don't know, and I sure as hell would rather not find out."

Chaser almost dropped his food in shock. _'How… How did he know? Was I really that obvious?!'_ The prince did not respond, merely continuing to smile with his infamous, devious smirk. Chaser whined childishly and looked away, annoyed with all his failed murder attempts.

"Fine then. Is that going to be your command, to drink the same tea I did, you perverted old prince?"

The blond prince laughed lightly as a response.

"Hey! I'm not that old, I'm probably just a little older than you. And no, thanks. Unless," he closed an eye. "You want me to~."

The blond assassin scoffed, resuming eye contact with the beautiful prince.

"I'd rather keep all contact with stupid, perverted princes to a minimum. And I bet that I'm older, considering how so much more skilled and mature I am."

The prince laughed again, opening both eyes.

"Says the one who cried so adorably when I beat them up~." He smiled innocently as Chaser's face turned deep red. Ignoring his insults and cries of denial, the prince continued to speak.

"My birthday is January 20th, year doesn't really matter anymore, but I'm sixteen years of age."

Chaser stopped speaking; his mouth opened slightly, his eyes wide with surprise and disbelief.

"January... 20th?"

The prince nodded his head slowly, unsure of the reason for the assassin's surprise.

"Yes… When's your birthday?"

Chaser looked away, crossing his arms and pouting like a little child.

"…January 21st, sixteen years old…"

The prince widened his eyes before erupting in uncontrollable laughter, while Chaser bit his lower lip and continued to pout. The blond prince quickly calmed himself down, still chuckling lightly at the perfect surprise.

"Well, looks like I'm older. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you, my cute little junior~."

"Oh, shut up will you?!"

Chaser turned his head away, arms still crossed. A strange flurry of emotions had arose from simply being called 'cute'. Was it because it was the first time someone had described him using a term? _'No, that's not it…'_ The red-faced assassin was unsure of why or how he knew, but he was sure that he would not have had the same reaction if it came from a different person. He bit his lower lip and furrowed his brows in an attempt to suppress the giddy and chaotic feelings inside of him, albeit unsuccessfully.

The blond prince smiled at the flustered assassin, slightly surprised himself that he would show such interest in another person. Was it because they looked similar? Because the boy did not treat him like royalty? Pally closed his eyes, knowing all too well that neither were the reason, though he was unable to come up with any other theories. But he was so curious about the smaller male, so unusually curious…

Pushing the thought to the back of his brain, Pally stretched his arms, stifling a yawn as he opened his eyes again. He pushed the poisoned teacup to the left side of the desk and pulled out a black ink pen.

"We should really start working now." He said with a bored, reluctant voice.

Chaser picked up the poisoned cup, and placed both cups and saucers on the glass table, grabbing another rosemary roll before returning to the prince's side.

"What should I do?"

Pally gently tapped the pen to his chin in thought. He patted the right side of his desk, shifting the papers aside.

"Sit here, you can hand me the documents and organize the ones I sign and don't sign."

"That sounds pretty easy."

The blond assassin walked around the desk, a little more used to the airy feeling the dress provided his long legs. Standing on the opposite side of the prince, Chaser lifted himself up and sat on the desk, his back facing the covered windows. He turned his body slightly to the left to get a better view of the prince and his workspace, taking the top sheet in one of the stacks and placing it in front of the prince.

With a soft chuckle, Pally started to skim through the text-filled paper, unaware that dinnertime would be arriving so soon. He quickly signed the paper, as Chaser handed him another one and took away the signed document, letting it flutter to the ground on his right. Pally chuckled lightly.

"What a messy method of organization…"

Chaser glared, bored and un-amused, as he swallowed a piece of bread.

"…Hey, it serves its purpose, at least. I can always organize it more specifically later."

Pally chuckled again; glad to have some actual company with him for once.

"…Thank you."

"Hmm? What was that?"

The prince shook his head.

"No, nothing, just thinking out loud."

"Hmm~…" Chaser laughed innocently. "You're a weird one."

The prince stared at the boy, an unsettling feeling forming in his body. But he could not look away from that rare, dazzling smile – so colorful and different, compared to the dull world he once lived through before. Pally smiled tenderly in return, his heart warming at the sight of the boy's pure smile. _'Maybe I am weird, but nonetheless... ...Thank you…'_

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

...I can't believe I spent six straight hours writing this. Six hours spent on a chapter, I don't mind. Six hours in a row with no rest? ...I think this shipping has done some very bad things to my mind...

Sorry for the lame title though, I really couldn't think of anything else, ahaha... ...*Coughs awkwardly*

There's a little bit of stripping in this chapter though, so I hope you're happy, The-Great-Me-sama~. /shot

...I really hope that this is still 'safe T-rated' material... XD

I really wanted to continue, but I felt that this chapter was getting kinda long so the ending is a little... Odd. Sorry about that~. ;w;

The next chapter will be like a continuation of this one, just in the evening.

On a side note, I swear I keep changing IP and DC's personalities. orz

Like, DC, who was this level-headed, cool, badass, don't-give-a-fuck character, is now... This...

Or maybe they just act that way around each other. Heh, that'd be cute. /shot

So~! As usual, thanks for reading this chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter too~!

And now to respond to my two wonderful anon reviewers~. Since... I don't really have any other ways of communicating with them, haha...

**DCIP Anon: **Thank you for your kind words as always~! I think I'm doing well on the 'developing-relationship-naturally' part. I think... XD

**Guest: **Yes, yes! Join us on the IPxDC cruise-line~! /shot But thank you for your compliments~. And to be completely honest, I've always wanted to write a scene where DC is portrayed as a weak, crying little boy, since he's always portrayed as a cool, badass character. XD ...Oh god, that made me sound so creepy didn't it? orz


	5. Chapter 4 - A Midnight Rendezvous

**~ Chapter Four: A Midnight Rendezvous ~**

Footsteps echoed throughout the empty hallway, their owners walking in silence after a large, filling dinner. The windows to the blond duo's left revealed a beautiful, cloudless, purple and red sky, merged together with soft, smooth strokes as the sun continued to set.

Though he still disliked wearing female clothing, Chaser had gotten used to walking around with a skirt, and he even admitted that the inner layers and outer pleats were very convenient, allowing him to easily hide many small weapons. The small assassin gazed at the taller male in front of him with a cold, calculating stare. He could not understand why or how his previous assassination attempts failed, but he was keen enough to know not to repeat the same mistake.

The young assassin had a small pin in his left shirt cuff, coated with arsenic – a deadly poison that would kill the average human in a few mere moments, faster, if it directly entered the blood stream – but Chaser could not risk getting caught a third time. Once was bad enough, and twice, resulted in an unforgivable humiliation. He would have to find a different method to kill the prince…

"Hey, Chaser."

Pally stopped unexpectedly, turning to face the smaller male behind him.

"I was wondering, where did you go last night? It didn't seem like you slept in the guest room I lent you…"

Chaser looked away, stuttering as he replied.

"I… I went out for, for a walk…"

A blatant lie. Pally cocked an eyebrow as he continued to stare sharply at the timid boy. Unable to withstand the pressure, Chaser continued to speak.

"I don't… …I don't like sleeping alone…"

Realizing the words that escaped from his mouth, Chaser quickly corrected himself before the prince could make a seductive comment.

"Th-That is, I-I feel uneasy without another person—No, I mean… Augh…" He buried his head in his hands, chiding himself for not choosing better words.

The blond prince laughed at the boy's flustered act. With a playful tone, he attempted to guess the boy's meaning.

"So you mean you don't like sleeping without having someone else watch your back?"

"Ah, yes!"

The assassin raised his head, thankful that he no longer had to embarrass himself with his uncooperative tongue.

"That makes sense, since you seem to be a pretty well-known criminal…" He trailed off, quickly continuing in a more playful tone before the boy could open his mouth to speak.

"In that case, you can sleep with me from now on~."

"Absolutely not!" The flustered boy looked away quickly, closing his eyes to avoid eye contact. He opened them again as a sinister thought entered his mind.

"And plus, how do you know I won't kill you in your sleep?"

He smirked confidently, certain that the prince would have no way to counter such a threat. But Pally simply tapped a finger to his chin, gazing upwards in thought. He then lowered his hand, smiling cheerfully as he responded in an unexpected way.

"You won't – because you're too nice, Chaser."

"Eh?"

The young assassin stared, dumbfound, as the prince continued to walk down the hallway. He was an assassin – a cruel, heartless murderer who would willingly kill and/or threaten others for money or information – and he was just described as being 'too nice'? Chaser furrowed his brows as he felt heat rise to his cheeks. _'What a strange prince…'_

He quickly shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he ran quickly to catch up with the taller blond. But alas, the prince's words would not leave his mind. With a cautious and uncertain tone, he questioned the prince,

"…What do you mean I'm 'too nice'?"

The prince slowed down to a stop, turning around to face the boy with a gentle, laughing face.

"Your methods of killing are too nice. I understand that many assassinations need to be quick, to prevent the victim from being saved or discovered. But you…" He laughed.

"Your methods are very quick and painless, they're too nice. This afternoon, after the speech, you were aiming at a sensitive pressure point in an attempt to numb my senses. In my office, you poisoned my tea with some sort of powerful natural poison to cover up its existence in the tea. And right now…"

Cocking his head, he gestured to the boy's uniform.

"I can bet that you're hiding at least three blades on you somewhere, all coated with poisons that can either kill a man instantly, or slowly without any signs or effects."

Chaser gasped, his eyes wide with surprise. _'How…?' _The beautiful prince laughed again.

"That expression confirms my deduction then?" Pally asked haughtily, already knowing the answer.

The assassin crossed his arms and looked away, pouting childishly. It had never occurred to him that his methods were 'nice', and since they had always worked before, he never bothered to change them. He stole a quick glance at the smirking prince, as he attempted to devise new, less 'nice' assassination methods. _'Maybe I can use this 'niceness' of mine to my advantage…' _He was unsure how, but was given no more time to think as the prince started walking again, beckoning him to follow.

Eventually, they stopped before a large, dark-colored, wooden double door. With a satisfied smile, the prince called out to the boy.

"Here we are."

Chaser looked at the simple door. Due to its large size, he assumed that this led to an important room of sorts. He looked at the prince, tilting his head childishly.

"What are we here for?"

"To find you some proper sleepwear." The prince replied matter-of-factly. Turning the golden doorknob, he continued,

"You didn't bring anything with you here, aside from the things you had when you entered that pink room."

Chaser growled irritatingly at the mere mention of the prince's former resting grounds, his mind replaying the humiliating scenes when the prince had finally woken up. He opened his mouth, about to speak, when he was interrupted by a black-clad figure leaping out of the dark room, a large switchblade pointed at the prince.

Without thinking, Chaser immediately reached his right arm down to his skirt's underside, pulling out his beloved Silver Shooter and firing a quick shot at the stranger's head. The stranger fell down dead almost instantly, his hand still tightly clenching the metal blade. The two stood in silence for what seemed like minutes, before Pally clicked his tongue softly, snapping Chaser out of his trance.

"Tch. Second night back and I'm already wanted dead. What a clean shot though. He's bound to have died instantly upon impact."

He had spoken softly, bending down to examine the assassin's blade and head.

Chaser lowered his arm, pulling out a bullet from his skirt's underside and reloading his pistol before hiding it back under the skirt. He looked away from the corpse, feeling a little guilty. The intruder was a fellow assassin, sent to eliminate the prince – just like he was – yet, he had defended the prince instead of assisting in the kill. He hung his head down as the word 'Why' continued to repeat through his head. He felt heat creep to his face and tears forming on the corners of his eyes, but not out of embarrassment or shame. He was so confused. Why did he protect the prince when he was sent to kill him? Why? Why? Why?

He flinched at the touch of someone's hand on his head. Raising his head to look up, he locked eyes with the prince's gentle blue orbs. He felt Pally stroke his head, the touch of his tender hands strangely reassuring to the young assassin.

The prince then stopped and removed his hand, pulling the assassin towards him in a tight, reassuring embrace. The boy inhaled sharply, surprised by the prince's actions. He knew that this was the perfect moment, to grab out a blade and quickly kill the defenseless prince. But no matter what he tried, his body wouldn't listen to him. He clenched the older boy's body tightly, returning the embrace, as tears started to fall from his cerulean eyes. He quickly buried his head in the prince's shoulders, staining his blue suit with salty tears. He didn't understand why he was crying, but he couldn't stop, continuing to produce tears from his eyes, and whines and sobs from his throat.

The clothes muffled the boy's voice, but the prince could still hear them clearly. He slowly stroked the back of the boy's head, whispering reassuring words into his right ear. He recalled the expression Chaser held when he had fired the bullet – one of pure shock. He knew that Chaser was an assassin, who was once so devoted to taking the prince's life, but now…

Pally felt the boy try to push away, trying his best to stop the flow of tears and quiet sobs, but instead of letting go, Pally pulled him back, giving him a tight, comforting squeeze. He spoke gently to the assassin.

"It's okay…"

Chaser knew that it was _not_ okay, his actions were not acceptable for one of his likes. But he could not control his overflowing emotions. He was so confused; he didn't know what to do. He needed to kill the prince, but he was so intrigued by him, for some unknown reason. He didn't understand the crazy mess he had become within these past few days. _'Why can't I kill him? Why _won't_ I kill him? Why?' _His throat felt sore and his eyes stung from crying so much, but he was still unable to answer the questions that pelted his mind. Exhausted, he collapsed in the prince's embrace, feeling weak as his mind went blank, save for one remaining question.

_'Why?'_

* * *

Chaser grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he opened them slowly. His mind instantly snapped awake when he realized that he was in an unrecognizable room, with cream-white walls and expensive-looking white furniture scattered everywhere. He opened his eyes fully, noticing the large and soft white bed he was laying in, and attempted to recall what happened before his blackout. He felt the blue maid uniform still on him, with no missing weapons or whatnot either. He could feel socks around his feet, but no shoes. He shifted his leg, feeling his Silver Shooter rub against it, instantly reminding him of its sudden appearance before. The recollection of him killing a fellow assassin caused uneasy feelings to arise in the blond assassin's body. He turned to lie on his left side, burying his face in the silk-covered pillow as he slowly entered a state of melancholy.

A soft, shuffling noise was heard from the assassin's right side, causing him to instinctively reach down to his skirt and grab his gun. However, along the way, he made contact with a clothed arm wrapped around his waist that clearly did not belong to him. His eyes grew wide. Panicking, Chaser tried to pry the fingers away from him albeit unsuccessfully. Feeling desperate, he pulled out his left arm from underneath him, reaching for the shirt cuff which hid a sharp pin. Just as he was about to take out the pin, Chaser was pulled backwards, letting out a surprised yelp as his back made contact with a warm, solid wall. A familiar voice called out haughtily to him.

"Awake already? Shame, and here I thought maybe we could sleep together a little longer."

Not daring to turn around and reveal his flushing red face, Chaser hissed back at the mocking prince.

"Shut up you… You stupid, perverted old prince."

The prince chuckled lightly in response. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the young assassin's quivering, flustered voice.

"And let go of me already!"

Without waiting for the prince to respond, Chaser started struggling against his grip, attempting to pry Pally's strong hand away from his fragile waist. The blond prince chuckled again before exhaling a slow, satisfied sigh.

"And where will you go? It's almost midnight – everyone else is bound to be asleep."

The young assassin stopped struggling, surprised that he was unconscious for so long. He paused before replying in a quiet voice.

"…I want to take a walk."

The blond prince gazed at the back of the smaller boy's messy head, assuming he still must be perplexed over the death of the intruder. Reluctantly, he sighed deeply, releasing his grip as he turned to lie on his right side, facing away from the young assassin.

"…Be careful."

His voice was soft and gentle, drastically different from the arrogant, commanding voice Chaser was used to hearing. The smaller boy felt his cheeks warm up slightly, quickly getting out of the bed before anything else happened.

As he walked towards the large double doors, Chaser noticed his clothes lying on an armchair nearby. He quickly removed all his weapons, stuffing them into their usual locations on his bland, black trench coat and similarly bland pants. He glanced over his shoulder, checking that the prince was not watching, and quickly changed into his former attire. Lastly, he hooked his favorite blue scarves on his chest and back, hanging them over his shoulders as he normally did. With one last glance at the strangely quiet prince, Chaser slipped through the brown doors and into the dark hallway, closing the door silently behind him.

He turned around, gasping upon encountering a tall male, with familiar long, messy brown hair, and golden eyes that gleamed coldly, like ice. The man gazed down at the smaller boy, a displeased frown on his lips. He spoke quickly, but quietly, with a harsh, demanding tone.

"We need to talk. Follow me."

Chaser obediently followed the taller male, watching his red cape flutter behind his fast pace. Without turning around, the brown-haired male continued to speak.

"It's been two days since you accepted the task."

He stopped abruptly, turning around to glare at the young assassin.

"Why haven't you killed the prince yet?"

The boy flinched at the man's cold words. He looked down, avoiding eye contact.

"He… He's strong, a lot more difficult to kill than others… I'm working on it."

The man scoffed, clearly irritated.

"Well then hurry it up. You're the infamous Tracker of Death aren't you? The ministers and I are displeased that the prince still lives."

"…Yeah, he'll be dead soon."

"He'd better be."

Without even a second glance at the young assassin, the man turned around and strode away briskly, his messy brown hair and crimson red cape flowing behind him. Chaser watched as the man disappeared down the hallways, most likely to discuss the prince's life with the other ministers. The blond assassin didn't move however, and stayed in the same spot, biting his lips as he tried to harden his resolve. He was an assassin who had a client and a target, and an accepted task. There was absolutely no reason for him to give up on the task. Yes, he was an assassin, and he needed to kill the prince, who was really, technically a stranger to him. That was all there was to it. So then why was he wavering?

He sighed glumly, turning around as he heard approaching footsteps. He met eyes with the prince, dressed in a thick, long white nightgown. The prince smiled gently.

"There you are. I was worried about you."

Chaser cringed at his words. He needed to kill the prince. He had to kill the prince. But, even knowing all this, the beautiful prince was so kind to the young boy… He felt sick, his mind unable to choose a decision. Without realizing, he had clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

Pally walked closer to the fragile boy, grabbing both of his hands in his own. He squeezed them reassuringly as the boy watched with wide eyes.

"Feeling better now?"

Chaser looked down, unable to continue their eye contact. He mumbled out a simple reply, his voice barely audible even in the silent hallway.

"…Yeah. I'm fine."

The prince spoke lightly, jokingly, in an attempt to improve the boy's mood.

"Then let's head back to bed shall we?"

The boy nodded his head absentmindedly, his thoughts still focused on his client's words. He was an assassin. He needed to kill the prince. He had to complete his task—

Chaser's thoughts were interrupted as Pally grabbed his right hand, intertwining their fingers together. He looked up as the older boy brushed his bangs aside with his free hand, planting a tender kiss on his forehead. His body shivered uncontrollably at the touch, and he felt like crying once more. Unfazed, the prince cooed softly to the boy, gently tugging on their connected hands.

"It's all right. Come on now, let's get some rest."

The smaller boy looked away, nodding his head silently as he followed the prince, his right hand refusing to let go of the prince's larger hand.

Pally gazed sadly at the silent boy, a painful feeling gutting his heart. He hated seeing the cheerful boy in such a state. But what could he do? After all, he_ was_ the one who had indirectly caused the conflict in the boy's soul. He pushed the thought aside, giving another reassuring squeeze with his left hand as he led the boy back into his white-covered bedroom.

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Wow, two chapters in one day. Really goes to show how devoted I am to this pairing. XD /shot

Well, technically this is all one chapter, just split into two, haha...

But yay~! The storyline's finally progressing~!

Also, I really need to decide on IP and DC's personalities and stick to it. orz

Though, I guess this way, it's kinda more realistic, since a person doesn't exactly have a set personality that they follow... ...If that makes any sense.

Also, I think we can all agree that Chaser has somehow turned into a tsundere shota. XD /shot

On a side note, I think this story might be nearing its end... Hmm, maybe 2-5 more chapters? The next chapter will most likely be a filler chapter though, explaining Chaser and Pally's backgrounds a bit more. Mostly Chaser's, since most of Pally's info is given out little by little throughout the story.

So! As usual, thank you for reading this chapter and I hope you've enjoyed this story so far~!

Feedback of any sorts is welcomed with open arms, except for flames of course.

And before I reply to my two, wonderful anon reviewers, I've got to say, I love how only the two anons pointed out the strip scene. XD

**DCIP Anon: **Thank you for your compliments. c: And... Is it possible for a strip scene to be adorable...? XD

**Guest Anon: **Congrats on giving yourself a name~! *Claps* But I'm glad you're starting to like this pairing more! :'3


	6. Chapter 5 - Sugary Sweet

**~ Chapter Five: Sugary Sweet ~**

It had been three days since Chaser last met his client. And within the last three days, he had tried every killing method known to man, in an attempt to quickly eliminate the prince. And within the last three days, he had followed almost a hundred commands without even given a choice.

The blond assassin sat down on the cushiony, white sofa, bringing his knees up to his head as he clutched a pillow tightly, dejected by his recent defeats. He was a first-class assassin, one who had always carried out his duties quickly and perfectly, leaving not even a trace of dust behind. Yet, he had failed to leave even a scratch on his current target – a charming young prince with a similar face to his. In fact, the young assassin was almost certain that he had… …Become quite attached to the prince.

Chaser hugged pillow tightly, whimpering childishly as he thought of where he went wrong. His mind was set on killing the prince, but his body never cooperated, acting as if it were a separate entity. Was he… Was it possible that he had… …Fallen for the prince? The young assassin felt his face flush immediately at the thought, and quickly buried his face in the pillow, unsure of how to feel. He clenched his eyes shut and shook his head, denying any emotions he held for the blond prince. _'No, no! I am an assassin, I'm here to kill him, I can't fall in love with him, I can't…' _But try as he might, the uneasy feelings that stirred when he thought of the beautiful prince did not leave, or even decrease in intensity. He whimpered again, just as said prince entered the large office, donning a simple white noble's suit with light blue lining – a short stack of papers in one hand, a large, white gift bag of chocolates in his other.

Seeing the small assassin huddled up, disconsolate, the fair prince could not help but gaze in guilt. He had noticed how unsettled the boy was within the past few days – the boy had tried multiple times to kill the prince, but failed due to simple, careless mistakes he normally would've never made.

Looking away, Pally exhaled slowly, silently, and walked over to his desk, being careful not to disturb the boy. He placed the papers on the right side of his desk and shifted them aside, making a mental note to work on them later. He set the bag down beside his fancy seat, randomly grabbing a small box of chocolate from the many assorted sweets. He read the labels on the dark colored box – 20 small, bite-size milk chocolates shaped in various seashell designs. Pally smiled. _'This just might work…'_

He walked over to the boy, sitting down casually beside him and crossed his legs, hiding the box of chocolate on his empty side. He called out to the boy with a playful tone.

"Hey, Chaser?"

The boy moved his head slightly at the call of his name. He peeked out from his pillow barrier, his innocent, cerulean eyes gazing at the prince, alert and curious. Without turning to make eye contact, Pally continued in a slightly more haughty tone.

"How many more commands do I have left?"

Chaser felt his face flush with shame at the recollection of his pitiful murder attempts. He looked away, his reply muffled and short.

"…Three."

Pally laughed, shifting a little closer to the younger male. Chaser stole a quick glance at the vibrant prince. He looked at the prince's confident, proud face, completely unable to read his expression. Pally looked at the smaller boy, locking blue eyes with blue eyes, causing the young assassin to quickly look away, breaking their gaze. The prince chuckled lightly as he watched a faint tinge of red creep onto the boy's pale cheeks.

"You like sweet things, right?"

Chaser nodded his head, still avoiding eye contact. The flustered feeling he had felt before was now returning, leaving behind an unusual, bursting urge to embrace the older male. He clenched his eyes shut, mentally slamming his head against a wall as he tried to suppress his emotions, albeit unsuccessfully.

"I'm gonna use one of those commands then. Turn this way and look at me."

Chaser reluctantly obeyed his words, turning his body to face the blond prince, unsure of what to expect. Pally smiled, laughing briefly.

"Okay, good. Now lower your arms, or remove that pillow. I want to see your entire face."

The blond assassin listened obediently, sliding his feet off the sofa and letting the pillow fall to his lap. He raised his head to meet the prince's, but looked away, not wanting to make eye contact. The prince praised him cheerfully.

"Good, good! Now close your eyes and open your mouth, and don't forget to say 'Ah~'."

"Wh-What?" Chaser cried out meekly, feeling heat rising quickly to his face. He looked at the prince, and, seeing that he had no intention of changing his command, closed his eyes and opened his mouth slightly.

"Ah…"

"Wider."

The boy did as he was told, slightly nervous about what was going to happen. With a playful smirk, Pally reached his hand out and touched Chaser's left cheek with his fingers, earning a slight flinch from the boy. He stroked the boy's soft cheek a few times before caressing it in his hand. With his free hand, the prince opened the box of chocolates beside him, randomly taking a piece and popping it in his mouth, being careful not to bite or quickly dissolve the chocolate. He then leaned forwards, connecting his lips with the assassin's own in a sweet, tender kiss. Chaser flinched sharply at the sudden contact, briskly opening his eyes in shock. But before he could react, Pally moved his tongue, skillfully pushing the melting piece of chocolate into the other boy's mouth and sealed their lips, breaking their short kiss and pulling away.

Licking his lips seductively, the prince looked at the flustered boy and asked in a teasing tone,

"How was it?"

Chaser did not know whether he was talking about the chocolate or the kiss. Assuming it was the former, he answered innocently, his cheeks colored a rosy pink.

"It was… Sweet."

Pally laughed at the hidden double meaning. With his right hand, he stroked the boy's head, moving his hand to caress his left cheek once more. He leaned closer to the boy, their noses almost touching, and spoke with a soft whisper,

"Would you like another one?"

The young assassin looked away, but because their faces were so close, he could still see the prince's blue eyes staring straight at him, his calm breath tickling his lips. He licked his lips, gently pushing the older male away and turning his head to avoid eye contact.

"M-Maybe later…"

He was unsure of whether he was talking about the kiss or the chocolate, feeling extremely embarrassed over having his lips stolen by another person, even though it wasn't technically the first time they had kissed. But strangely, he was not upset about it. Rather, he yearned for another, and maybe even a third…

The prince laughed lightly at the sight of the flustered boy. No matter how many times he saw the boy act this way, he could never get over how adorable he looked. No, not just this side. His prideful, serious side; his lazy, tired side after a long day of paperwork; his childish, pouting side; his cheerful side after eating five slices of cake; even the weaker, crying side of his. Somehow, Pally had grown to love every part of the smaller boy, wanting to treasure the priceless gem all the time, for all eternity. But could the emotions he felt truly be considered "love"? Were they simply reactions created from being treated differently than usual? He did not know, and was a little scared to find out.

Pally closed his eyes, clearing his thoughts, before opening them again. He stood up and patted the assassin's head, ruffling his messy blond hair and placing the box of chocolates on his lap, on top of the white pillow. Without missing a beat, he walked over to his desk, beckoning the boy over.

"Come on, let's try to finish this before dinner." He gestured to the stack of papers to his right.

The young assassin stole a glance at the wooden clock, noticing that it was just a little past two in the afternoon. He looked at the stack of papers – drastically less than what was given on previous days. He raised an eyebrow. Would it really take them four hours to complete?

Seeing the boy's confused expression, Pally let out a short laugh. With a casual, informal voice, he explained briefly,

"On the 15th of each month, the ministers head out and collect data about the citizens. Then they organize all the data and send it to me to look over."

Chaser mouthed a small "Oh" before quickly getting up and walking to his usual seat on the prince's right side, making sure not to forget the box of chocolate he was given as a gift. He sat down on the desk, watching intently as the prince wrote long summaries and reports at a lightning-fast speed. He popped another piece of chocolate into his mouth, rolling the sweet seashell around in his mouth as he handed the prince another report.

Moments passed as the blond prince continued to stare intently at the sheet of paper, taking in every little detail. He furrowed his brows, displeased. _'Why are the ministers spending so much on the palace security…?' _Sighing, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, running his hand through his long, golden hair. Eyes still closed, he pointed to the large bookshelf on his left.

"Chaser, could you get me the report for _Palace Expenses and Revenues, Imperial Calendar 411-425_? It should be near the top of the shelf."

The young assassin nodded, placed his box of chocolates on the desk, and jumped off, skipping over to the large bookcase childishly. He tilted his head upwards and to the right, reading the words on the spines of the many books.

_'Imperial Calendar 251-265… 321-335... 376-390…'_ A victorious smirk appeared on his lips as he read the tag of a dark-green spine on the top-most shelf. _'There we are! _Palace Expenses and Revenues, Imperial Calendar 411-425_!' _The small boy placed a foot on one of the lower shelves, propelling himself upwards as he grabbed ahold of the thick book. He jumped down, landing gracefully and without a sound. He quickly walked back to the desk, placing the book in front of the prince before seating himself down on the desk.

"Thank you."

The prince did not even look up from the report before him, a serious expression on his face. He flipped the green book open, quickly glancing back and forth from the book and the report. _'As I thought, the ministers have spent more than ten times their usual amount. Just what are they thinking…?'_ He glared at the papers as he continued to skim through the book. He had noticed no new guards lately, but the report before him stated that they had spent enough money to hire almost a hundred top-ranking knights from Velder. He sighed in frustration. Just what were they up to…?

"…Pally?"

The prince snapped out of his trance at the call of his name. He glanced at the boy beside him, a worried look reflecting off his gentle, blue eyes.

"Are you okay? You had a scary expression on your face just now…"

The prince relaxed his face, unaware of how tense he had become. He smiled sweetly at the boy.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little confused over the ministers' actions."

At the mention of the royal ministers, Chaser looked away, as if he was hiding a dreadful secret he badly wanted to tell. The prince noticed this, a sinister thought quickly running through his head. _'Did one of the ministers hire Chaser… …To kill me?' _He forced his eyes closed, denying the thought. The ministers were most likely annoyed with him returning, nullifying all their previous powers over the throne, but their families had been loyally serving the Seiker family for many generations. He knew he was disliked amongst many people a hundred years ago, for not showing any interest in his duty. But for the current ministers to gamble their family name and power for such a risky action… He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He would deal with them later…

"Though, isn't that the first time you called me by my name?"

The young assassin turned to look at the prince, slightly confused. He replayed the events of the past few days, starting with when he first met the prince.

"Ah…" A light blush started to creep towards his cheeks.

"T-There's nothing wrong with that! After all, you were the one who told me to call you only by your name."

The prince chuckled lightly.

"But you've always referred to me as 'you' or 'stupid, perverted prince'. Why the sudden change?"

"Well, if you don't want me to call you by your name, then just say so!" Chaser turned his head away, folding his arms and pouting childishly. The prince laughed, a gentle smile unknowingly forming on his lips.

"No, I like it when you call my name."

The young assassin looked down, still facing away from the prince. His heartbeat suddenly increased in speed and volume – it was so loud that he was sure even the prince could hear it very clearly. And the unsettling, tingly feeling he always felt around the prince returned, with a dramatic increase in intensity. _'But what do they all mean?'_

A sudden, sharp knock at the door caught the attention of both blond males. Chaser quickly got off the desk, running behind it as Pally invited the guest in.

"You may enter."

A tall butler dressed in black entered with a silver tray of fine china, decorated with abstract lines of soft greens and blues. He placed the tray down on the glass table, speaking out with a clear voice,

"Today's snack is cream-filled brioche, accompanied with honeybush tea. Shall I pour you a cup, your highness?"

Pally shook his head, slightly surprised that an hour had already passed by.

"No need. Thank you, you may leave now."

The butler nodded, bowing lowly before exiting the room. As usual, Chaser quickly strode over to the tea set, popping a sugar cube into his mouth as he poured two cups of tea – one with three sugar cubes and one with five. Grabbing a piece of bread and stuffing part of it into his mouth, Chaser picked on the two teacups, bringing them over to the desk. He handed the prince the cup with three sugar cubes, earning a simple "Thank you" in response.

"So I take it that you didn't poison my cup this time?" He asked mockingly.

Chaser scoffed. "I'm not stupid enough to use the same method on a person twice."

Pally laughed lightly. He picked up his teacup, blowing gently over the sunset-red liquid before taking a sip. He looked over at the smaller male, cheerfully licking the cream filling, but completely ignoring the rest of the bread. He laughed, earning a strange look from the assassin. He stood up, gently taking ahold of the boy's chin.

"You've got some cream here, on your left cheek."

The boy raised his left hand to wipe the cream off, but was interrupted as the prince leaned over to the boy, sticking his tongue out and stealing away the small drop of cream. He pulled back, licking his lips alluringly as the boy quickly wiped his cheek, a deep red blush clearly visible on his pale cheeks.

"W-What was that for?"

The prince laughed lightly, replying matter-of-factly,

"It required less effort than wiping it off. Plus, I wanted to try some of the bread too."

"Then get your own damn bread..." The boy hissed quietly, still clearly flustered.

The prince laughed again, sitting down as he took another sip of the sweet tea. The boy pouted, embarrassed with himself for expecting another kiss… He quickly shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he stuffed the rest of the bread into his mouth. He turned his body, looking at the blond prince, who had returned to briefing the many reports. He sighed quietly, crestfallen, knowing that these carefree days were nearing their end…

* * *

Pally stretched his arms, yawning tiredly as Chaser collected his last report. He glanced at the wooden clock across the room – a few minutes to five thirty. He smiled, both surprised and relieved that he was able to get all the work done so quickly. He turned to face the small boy, nibbling on his fourth piece of bread, his mind lost and wandering in another world. He noticed the boy's left hand resting behind him on the desk. Feeling a little playful, the prince reached his right hand over, his fingers dancing over the delicate hand as they wove themselves teasingly in between the boy's fingers. The boy looked down at the prince, awoken from his little trance. He asked coldly, with a monotone voice,

"…What are you doing?"

The prince responded with a soft chuckle, slowly pulling his hand away. The boy felt his left arm shiver as their hands disconnected, leaving behind gentle sparks running throughout his empty hand. With great difficulty, he controlled himself, suppressing the intense urge to reconnect their hands.

Pretending to ignore the light blush on the assassin's cheeks, Pally spoke with a gentle tone.

"Hey, since I've still got two commands left, and we've got about an hour before dinner…" He placed his left arm on the velvet armrest, leaning his head against the back of his hand. "Tell me more about you."

The assassin looked at the prince, slightly bewildered. He furrowed his brows slightly, scratching his cheek shyly. _'What should I talk about…?'_

As if he had read his mind, Pally spoke soothingly, with a tinge of curiosity in his voice,

"What about your parents?"

Chaser slowly lowered his arm, tilting his head upwards to look at the white ceiling, as a soft sigh escaped from his mouth. A queasy feeling entered Pally's mind. Was this a sensitive topic for the boy? Without looking away from the ceiling, Chaser spoke, his tone dull and slightly sad.

"My mother was a high ranking prostitute in the red-light districts of Hamel, my father, one of her clients. I never met my father, but I knew he gave my mother lots of money, as compensation for his mistake. My mother treated me well, and taught me many things, but she never looked at me like I was her son, but just some random boy she was looking after. She never gave me a name either. It didn't really matter, since I never liked her much anyway… When I was eight years old, she sold me off to an old man, a noble who indulged himself in immoral activities with children."

He closed his eyes as Pally stared in shock, completely unable to respond. Chaser took a deep breath, collecting himself before he continued,

"Of course, when I found out, I ran away. I never met my mother after that. As for how I survived, I was taken in by a mafia leader, a red-headed knight who was exiled from Velder, for relying on the powers of the Dark El, even though he could control his powers really well. Like the other members of his group, he had abandoned his name, going under the name "Infinity" – for his endless strength and charisma. He was like a father to me. He took me under his care, and taught me how to fight, how to defend myself. He gave me this name, "Chaser".

"We all lived in an abandoned hotel, doing all sorts of crazy jobs for both necessities and fun. All the other members were outcasts too. There was this female magician who was supposed to be executed, for learning the dark arts, but she was saved by Infinity. And there was an elf who wanted to visit the human world, but was forced to stay when she couldn't return for some reason. There was even this young girl, who was the former queen of a country, but she wasn't liked because she was more intelligent and stronger than the king. They chased her out of her own country, though she was more than happy to be rid of them."

Chaser laughed, smiling at the more pleasant memories. Pally couldn't help but smile in return, glad that the boy did not have to suffer through his life alone, like he did.

"We were like a huge family of misfits, in a sense. They taught me so much, gave me so much. And I liked helping out too. I started off with simple, harmless jobs, like being the watch guard or tactician. As I grew older and accumulated more skills, I was involved in more dangerous jobs, like being a scout or emergency sniper. Eventually, Infinity thought I was mature enough to take on big jobs on my own. Remember that ex-queen I told you about? Apparently, she was a genius with manufacturing. As a promotion gift, she made these for me."

He took out his beloved pistols, gazing at them sincerely, with heartfelt thanks. His smile disappeared as the following memories entered his mind. He sighed, putting his guns away.

"But then, one day, Infinity was captured, and killed on the spot. We were all devastated when we saw his body, cold, tattered, dead. But with no one to take up the leading role… …We all disbanded. Some of us went together in pairs or groups, but we all went separate ways. The female elf, Wind, we called her, Mother Wind; she became a priest at a nearby church. Apparently she had a sweetheart in the group who went along with her. He too, became a priest, though he doesn't show himself often because of his mechanical limbs. I still visit them sometimes, though not as often now. I mainly focused on my assassination jobs." He turned to look at the silent prince, smirking proudly. "You know, I was pretty good for a 14 year old, if I do say so myself. I killed all my targets, and never got caught."

The prince laughed.

"Except for this one." He pointed to himself.

The boy huffed, "…This one doesn't count." He turned away, still pouting, earning another light laugh from the prince. He looked up again, and started to swing his legs. He bit his lips, what else to talk about…?

"What's your favorite food?"

The young assassin looked at the boy, slightly surprised at the random question, but thankful for changing the topic. He replied cheerfully,

"Definitely lollipops! They're so sweet~."

The prince chuckled lightly. _'Not as sweet as you…'_ He sat up straight, picking up his black ink pen and a sticky note.

"In that case, we'd better place a large order for lollipops. Any specific flavors?"

The prince turned to look at the boy, smiling at his surprised expression. Chaser knew that their time together was ending soon, but he did not wish to upset the prince. He shook his head, smiling painfully. Even though his expression looked very sincere, the blond prince knew immediately it was a fake smile – one he often used against the ministers who came to check up on him in place of his father. But he did not say anything, continuing to write on the small, yellow paper. He peeled the paper off, and stuck it to his desk, glancing up at the clock.

"There. Now then, shall we head to dinner? It should be ready very soon."

The young assassin nodded, jumped off the desk and started walking towards the door.

"Oh, wait."

He turned to face the prince.

"This is for you."

With a bright smile, Pally handed the large white bag to the boy, who accepted it hesitantly. The boy peered inside, eyes widening at the sight of all the boxes of chocolate. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. The prince chuckled, raising his right arm to pat the boy's messy blond head.

"You like sweet things right?"

The boy nodded slowly, connecting his eyes with the prince's, "…Yes. Thank you…" He smiled.

Pally removed his hand, returning the smile with a genuine one of his own.

"You're welcome. They're very sweet though, just warning you."

He suddenly leaned closer to the smaller boy, whispering gently into the boy's left ear.

"But not nearly as sweet as you."

He lightly pecked the boy's cheek, pulling away quickly as he walked towards the door, completely unfazed by his actions. The prince laughed as he watched the boy wiped his cheek, his face flushed a dark red. He called out to the boy, beckoning him to follow,

"Come on now. We'll be late for dinner if you keep dawdling."

Still flustered, Chaser quickly ran after the blond prince, his face bright with heat. As he caught up to the taller blond, he placed the bag in his right hand, swinging it gently, his blush quickly fading away. He looked at the prince, sorrowful that he would have to kill the lovely male, and very soon, if he didn't want his client to be even more upset. He tried to strengthen his resolve, but the prince's kind words and gentle actions would not leave his mind.

As if to further distract the boy, Pally grabbed the boy's left hand with his right hand, intertwining their fingers together, and playfully swinging their connected hands slightly. He smiled gently at the boy, who refused to make eye contact out of embarrassment. The prince chuckled lightly, before turning his head to look straight ahead. Noticing this, Chaser stole a quick glance at the prince's face, feeling heat rise to his cheeks and the corners of his lips curling upwards in an innocent smile, completely forgetting about his task.

_'No… Pally, I think you're the sweeter one.'_

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Waaah~, I can't believe this story is already ending so soon... ;A;

There's probably going to be two or three more chapters left...

But nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed this little filler chapter~. It's so cheesy but... XD

In the next chapter, there will definitely be more action and progress, don't worry~.

But for now, thank you for reading this far~. Feedback of any sorts is, as always, openly welcomed. See you again next chapter~!

**Guest Anon: **Shh, don't tell anyone yet~. XD I completely agree with you, though I find it funny since I used to think DC would be the dominating one, because... Well, for lack of better terms, he actually looked more like a guy at first glance compared to IP. But now, I can't visualize DC as the dominating one, it's just so... Awkwardly wrong. XD Thanks for your continued support though! :D


	7. Chapter 6 - The Fallen Assassin

**~ Chapter Six: The Fallen Assassin ~**

Chaser glanced at the wooden clock, feeling extremely anxious as he watched the seconds pass by. Today marked the seventh night – a week passing after he had accepted the task to eliminate the prince. After tonight, something bad would happen. He was unsure of what or how, but a sinking feeling continued to gut his senses. He had a feeling if he didn't do anything, his client would take matters into his own hands, and in a very bad way…

"Chaser?"

The boy flinched harshly at the call of his name. He quickly turned to face the origin of the voice, locking eyes with a familiar, blond-haired prince.

"Ah, yes?" His voice was quiet, quivering like a cold, scared kitten.

The prince stared at the blond boy for a brief moment, then pushed his velvet-lined chair out, calling out to the young assassin with his hands. _'Come here.'_ Hesitatingly, Chaser jumped off the wooden desk and walked over to the fair prince. Without any warning, Pally grabbed the smaller boy, pulling him close in a cradling embrace, as if he were carrying a baby. Chaser gasped at the sudden action, squirming uncomfortably as he tried to escape the embarrassing position. But the prince would not let go of his catch that easily. He pulled the assassin closer, resting the boy's delicate head on his chest, opposite of his heart. He gently grabbed the boy's right hand and placed it over to his heart, allowing the boy to feel his calm, steady heartbeat. Gazing tenderly at the surprised boy, he spoke softly, a reassuring smile faintly visible on his rosy lips.

"It's all right, Chaser. I'm still alive, and you are too. It's all right."

The young assassin stared at the prince's bright blue eyes, unable to tear his gaze away. His chest started to tighten, and a strong yearning for the prince's presence started to form in his body. He breathed deeply, calming himself and trying his best to suppress his urges. Moments passed and his mind was soon overtaken by the lingering thought of his persistent client. A plan quickly formed in his mind. It was a simple, but very risky plan, but he knew risks were needed to achieve his ideal 'ending'.

Lifting his legs over the fancy armrests, Chaser slipped his right arm out of the prince's grasp, shifting his delicate hands to the prince's broad shoulders. He propped himself up, planting a small kiss on the prince's bottom lips. He smiled.

"Thank you, Pally. I… I need to go get something real quick."

The blond prince smiled in return, planting a kiss of his own on the smaller boy's forehead. But instead of the flustered face he usually saw, he was greeted with a fake laugh and a saddening smile. He immediately knew that something bad was going to happen that night. Reluctantly, he released his grip on the smaller boy.

"…Be careful."

His voice was quiet, worried, and the boy knew. Chaser nodded, avoiding eye contact, and got off the seat, striding quickly to the wooden door. He turned the doorknob but stopped, not wishing to leave the prince alone. He bit his bottom lip and furrowed his brows, strengthening his resolve. _'This is the only way... If I want you to survive. Pally… ...I'm sorry.' _Taking a deep breath, Chaser opened the door, not daring to look back. As he closed the door behind him, tears started to stream down his cheeks, but he did not wipe them away. He breathed deeply before walking down the empty hallways, quickly speeding up into a run, his golden ponytail fluttering like a speeding air Nymph – a sad, lonely, air Nymph…

* * *

Pally sat at his desk, unsure of what to do. He found himself constantly glancing up at the door, waiting for his beloved servant to appear. His heart sank deeper every time the boy did not appear. He recalled the expression the boy held before they parted – a terribly frightening expression to the prince. He sighed, laying his head down on the wooden desk, his arms covering his face. After all their time together… He realized he didn't want Chaser to leave; he didn't want to be alone again. _'How vexing…' _He thought to himself. _'How can I take care of this country if I can't even take care of my own emotions?' _He sighed again.

At the sound of the door opening, Pally quickly raised his head and sat up straight, more than pleased at the sight of the young assassin returning. His eyes flickered to the clothes the young boy was carrying, feeling uneasy as he recognized the black coat, the blue scarves; the assassin's former attire. But Chaser was back, for a little while longer, and that was all that mattered to the blond prince. He felt his mind relax, and the corners of his lips turning upwards in a broad, relieved smile.

"Welcome back."

The boy smiled mischievously.

"Aww~, did you miss me?"

"Yeah. A lot."

The blond assassin blinked multiple times, surprised at the prince's unusual response. He quickly averted his gaze, feeling heat rise to his cheeks, and a familiar, suffocating feeling arising in his chest. He quickly glanced around the room, trying to find a new topic to discuss. His eyes set on the tall pile of paperwork, its height no shorter than before he left the room.

"You haven't finished the paperwork yet?"

Startled, the prince turned to his right, his eyes widening as if he had just saw the papers for the first time.

"Oh… I seem to have forgotten about them."

Chaser raised an eyebrow. The beautiful, blond prince, who never forgot anything (except for his manners), had forgotten to do his work? He found that a little difficult to believe. Was it because he knew the assassin's plan? He doubted it, but did not find the thought impossible, considering how surprisingly observant the prince was.

With a moderate pace, he walked over to one of the white sofas, placing his clothes down neatly. He then strode over to his usual seat on the wooden desk, fully aware of the vibrant pair of eyes intently watching his every movement, as if he would disappear the second the eyes stopped looking at him. Pretending to ignore the prince's nerve wracking stare, Chaser propped himself on the desk, casually handing one of the many sheets of paper to the blond prince.

"Ah… Thank you."

Chaser smirked playfully, gazing down at the prince with un-amused, half-lidded eyes.

"Look, I know I'm amazingly awesome in every possible way, but you should stop staring and focus on your work."

Pally laughed cheerfully, countering with his own infamously devious smirk.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just imagining how you would look in a different uniform. Maybe I should ask the maids to prepare a nurse outfit for you? Or how about a bunny girl? Or would you prefer the naked apron?" He snickered at the last suggestion. "Yeah, I'd bet you look super sexy in all of them, though I'd like to see the bunny girl first."

He winked at the boy, whose face was already a dark shade of red. Chaser quickly turned his head away, his embarrassment evident not only on his face, but his rapid heartbeat. He took many deep breaths, collecting himself.

"…Stupid, perverted prince..." He mumbled, not daring to make eye contact.

Said prince let out a gentle laugh and leaned on his arm. He saw the boy's fiery-red ears and timid shifting, and tried to restrain himself from teasing the poor boy too much. A playful smirk still pasted on his face, he continued to speak,

"Though, I'd rather you not wear any of those outfits here. I'd get far too jealous of anyone else who sees you."

The boy turned around, slightly surprised at the older male's words, and opened his mouth to counter, but was quickly shut up by the prince throwing another wink his way. He pouted; his throat unconsciously produced a childish whining noise, earning yet another laugh from the blond prince. Chaser cleared his throat, glancing at the wooden clock as he spoke aloud in a monotone voice,

"We should really finish all this paperwork soon…"

The clock struck nine and, as if on cue, a sharp knock was heard on the door. Pally straightened his back, his smile immediately faded from his face, as Chaser hastily got off the desk and ran to the prince's side, behind the large wooden desk.

"You may enter."

The door opened and a simple-looking, monochrome maid entered, carrying a plain white tea set atop a fancy, silver tray. She placed the tray on the glass table and bowed, speaking in a clear, deadpan voice.

"Lady Grey tea has been prepared, your highness, to assist you in your long working hours tonight. The main chef has retired for the evening; therefore, any orders for the kitchen will take a few moments longer than usual."

The prince nodded his head slightly.

"Thank you. Is that all?"

The maid nodded her head slightly, her eyes never leaving the ground.

"The cargo ship delivering your order of five thousand assorted lollipops has been delayed due to an unexpected rebellion in Elder Village. According to a recently sent telegram received today, it should take approximately a week for the sweets to arrive."

Chaser widened his eyes upon hearing the maid's words. _'F-Five thousand lollipops?!' _He glanced at the prince beside him – his eyebrows had furrowed slightly and his face was completely un-amused.

"I see. Thank you. If that is everything, you have permission to leave."

The maid bowed and left just as silently as she entered, the door closing behind her with a quiet 'click'. As the maid left, Chaser turned to face the prince, his eyes furrowed in confusion.

"Why did you order five thousand lollipops?"

Pally returned the gaze, replying with a serious tone of voice, as if the order amount was completely natural.

"Because you said you liked lollipops."

"B-But… Just for that…?!" Chaser fumbled with his words, surprised at the prince's response. He was touched that the prince was willing to buy him so many gifts but…

"Five thousand is just too much! How can you expect me to carry all of that?"

"Well then, you'll just have to stay here until you finish them all." The prince smiled sweetly, his expression the complete opposite of his words. Chaser crossed his arms and turned away, biting his bottom lips and pouting childishly. He didn't deny that he would be more than happy to stay with the prince, but he didn't want to stay just because of the lollipops… He sighed, propping himself onto the desk once more, but on the same side as the prince this time. He turned to face the older male.

"Come on, I'd appreciate it if we could finish this before the end of the day."

The prince laughed in response, and stretched his arms.

"All right, all right." He stifled a yawn. "Let's get to work then. But would you mind pouring me a cup of tea first?"

The young assassin shook his head, tousling loose strands of pale, blond hair as he jumped down from his seat and started to walk towards the glass table.

"Not at all."

* * *

Chaser turned his head, staring at the wooden clock. It was almost eleven, and the two still had many reports to cover. _'At this rate, it might be too late…'_

A yawn escaped his mouth, as he quickly raised a hand to cover it. He heard a familiar chuckle.

"Tired?"

He looked down at the prince and closed his eyes, gently shaking his head.

"No, just a little bored."

He opened them again to see the prince laugh lightly.

"In that case, would you mind massaging my back? My shoulders seem to be a little stiff…"

The young assassin laughed, smiling mischievously.

"Heh. You're getting old~." He teased.

The prince laughed again as the boy slid himself off the desk and walked behind the prince. A thought quickly ran through the assassin's mind, reminding him of the poisoned pin he hid in his left shirt cuff. He widened his eyes slightly. _'That's right. If this works…' _He clenched his eyes shut._ 'This just might be my chance…'_

"Chaser?"

The boy quickly forced his eyes open. "Yes?"

"Just making sure you didn't fall asleep." He chuckled. "I know this chair makes it a little awkward for you, so you can work on one side at a time, if you'd like."

The young assassin shook his head, temporarily forgetting that the prince couldn't see him, with being behind him and the excessively fancy chair.

"No, it's all right. Just give me a moment…"

Chaser quickly pulled the pin out with one hand, his other hand pulling out a handkerchief he hid in his skirt. He quickly wrapped the pin in the small cloth, hiding it back under his skirt. Pulling out another, almost identical pin, along with a small vial of clear, liquidized sleeping powder, Chaser quickly dipped the pin in the vial, making sure not to make a single sound or mistake, quickly tucking the vial away afterwards. In less than twenty seconds, he had successfully replaced the poisoned pin with a new one.

The young assassin reached his arms over the chair, gently grabbing the prince's broad shoulders and steadily massaging them – squeezing with enough force to stimulate the blood flow, but not too hard as to injure the prince. After a few moments, Chaser pushed the heel of his left hand forwards, revealing the sharp, wet pin. As he continued to massage the prince's shoulders, he slowly positioned his left wrist, aiming the pin at a major nerve vein near the neck. He slowly inched the pin closer to the vein, but as the pin was about to make contact, a familiar voice called out, stopping him.

"Chaser."

The young assassin quickly pulled the pin back, hiding it once again in his shirt cuff.

"What is it?"

The prince sighed deeply, unsure of what to say. He knew that the boy needed to kill him, but… A thought flew through his mind, making him widen his eyes slightly. An idea. One that just might allow them to stay together… Not wanting to inform the younger male of his plan, he spoke clearly, with a teasing tone.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't stab me while massaging my shoulders."

The young assassin exhaled silently, biting his bottom lip, dejected. _'He found out…' _Collecting himself, he scoffed, mumbling his excuse haughtily.

"I didn't stab you _yet_ though."

The prince laughed, pulling his shoulders away from the boy's grasp.

"Well, my shoulders feel a lot more relaxed. Thank you. I'll be saving this command for later."

The blond duo returned their focus to the paperwork, one brimming with impossible hope, the other desperately attempting to escape the shadows that chased them...

* * *

Chaser tilted his head upwards to look at the clock, a few minutes to midnight. He turned to face the prince, his eyes widening with surprise at the prince's sleeping figure – right hand holding his black ink pen, head laying on the desk, facing right, resting on his left arm – as if he had fallen asleep mere moments ago. He giggled lightly at the defenseless prince, his face soft and peaceful – just like their first encounter. His smile instantly disappeared. This was the perfect chance to rid the prince, once and for all. But the young assassin knew that no matter how hard he tried, his body would not let him kill the beautiful, kind prince.

A sad smile formed on the boy's lips as he sighed, disconsolate. He got off the desk and walked over to his pile of clothes. Picking up his long, black trench coat, he strode back to the sleeping prince. Holding onto his coat with one hand, he reached over, easily taking the pen out of the prince's pale, flawless hand. He moved Pally's right arm closer to his head, and with some slight hesitation, swung his coat over the prince, as if it were a blanket. He brushed the prince's long bangs aside, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on his soft cheeks.

The young assassin stood in silence, gently stroking the prince's cheeks with his left hand – just like when they first met. He laughed at the memory, seeming so distant even though it had only been a week. Reluctantly, he pulled his hand away, and walked to the sofa. He took off his black shoes and long socks, deciding to leave the dress on as an inventory replacement for his coat. Quietly, he slipped on his black pants and shoes, and attached his signature blue scarves to his shoulders. He started to walk towards the door when he remembered about his headband. Laughing softly, he took the headband off, placing it atop the rest of the pile.

Chaser walked towards the wooden door and turned the doorknob, glancing over his shoulder to look at the slumbering prince one last time. He smiled sadly, his eyes cloudy with reluctance, not wanting to leave the prince's side.

"I'm sorry Pally… …Good bye."

And with those quiet, unheard words, Chaser opened the door, stepping into the dark hallway. Not even turning to look backwards, he pulled out a few pins from his shirt cuffs – different than the ones he coated with various chemicals – and locked the door, continuing to glare at the small welcome party he had expected. The blond assassin glanced around, quickly getting out his precious Silver Shooters and extra bullets, preparing for an intense showdown. Of the thirty or so people surrounding him, there were about five assassins, all clad in midnight black and armed with various short daggers; fifteen or so knights, most likely hired from Velder, based on their golden-colored armor, armed with all sorts of long swords and spears, and the remainder were mercenaries from all throughout Elrios, equip with colorful scabbards, blades, and axes. Neither party moved, but the larger group continued to point their diverse range of weapons at the small boy. The young assassin growled lowly, not daring to look away, when an elderly man clad in red stepped through the crowd, glaring daggers at the small boy. Chaser returned the glare with a harsher one of his own. The man spoke clearly, his voice loud and strong over the crowd, despite his old age.

"What a worthless assassin. Even when you were given many chances to kill the prince, you did not even harm him. It was foolish of Penensio to have chosen you for the job."

Chaser scoffed.

"At least I don't need to rely on useless weaklings to do my bidding. So, what's with the party, Mr. Minister?"

The elderly minister continued to glare at the boy, his face devoid of any emotions.

"How dare you take such a tone with your elders, and one with far more power than you'd ever hope to hold." He shook his head mockingly. "It is a shame that you will never be able to speak of this rare encounter with anyone."

The man raised a bony, wrinkled hand, pointing at the small assassin, signaling his guards to prepare their assault.

"Now then, step aside, or shall I deal with you first?"

Chaser growled lowly, finally revealing his two silver pistols. He had no doubt in his ability to take care of the warriors, but in such an enclosed space… He cursed silently. This was going to be a long night…

* * *

Pally stared at the fresh corpse in his arms – the corpse of his first friend, companion in life, his beloved servant, the young assassin who had pried open his cold, uncaring heart. He looked at the wound over the smaller boy's heart – a large, bloody hole in place of flesh and bone. Pally ran his hand slowly over the wound. The blood was dry. He was too late.

"Chaser…?"

Tears started to gather at the prince's shaken, blue eyes, slowly falling onto the corpse's pale face. He gazed at the boy's relaxed face, his closed eyes, slightly agape mouth... …It was as if the boy was merely sleeping. Pally gently shook the body in his arms, calling out once more,

"Chaser? Come on… Wake up…"

More tears continued to fall, but the boy did not even stir. The prince planted a rough kiss on the boy's forehead, his lips and throat dry and in agonizing pain.

"Chaser, come on… Say something, do something… Insult me, slap me, shoot me, please… I beg of you, just tell me you're still alive…"

The sullen prince hung his head, burying his pitiful face into the sleeping boy's neck. Strands of his golden hair fell from his back, landing softly on the young assassin's cold, lifeless body. But the boy did not open his eyes…

Pally snapped his eyes open, his breath ragged and his forehead wet with sweat. He winced in surprise, noticing tears had formed on his eyes. He closed his eyes, taking many deep breaths to calm his rapid heartbeat. He lifted his head, running a hand through his long hair. _'It seems that I had a nightmare…' _The blond prince couldn't remember what he dreamt of, but he had no desire of knowing. Stretching his arms, he sat up, feeling something slide off his back. Lowering his arms, he turned around to grab the mysterious object, his eyes widening with dread as he identified the cloth. _'This is… Chaser's coat?'_

Feeling slightly panicked, Pally darted his eyes around the room, gasping heavily when he could not find the small assassin who always stood by his side. He let out a weak laugh.

"…Chaser?"

Holding onto the black coat, Pally stood up and walked aimlessly around the room, calling out for the young assassin.

"Chaser…? Where are you hiding? Come on now, you're starting to worry me."

No reply. He walked over to the white sofa that laid to the right of the glass table, noticing parts of the young assassin's clothes and uniform. Still hanging tightly onto the coat, Pally briskly walked to the door and entered the hallway, his breath ragged and his heartbeat pounding loudly, quickly. The dark hallway was empty, void of even a single sound. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a splotch of red on the light brown and gold carpet. His body convulsed in dread. He walked over to the stain, bending down and running his left index finger over it. Blood. And still fairly fresh. He cringed, his unease clearly resounding throughout his rapid heartbeat.

Hastily picking himself up, the blond prince sprinted down the hall at a dangerously fast speed. He was unsure of how or why, but a sinister feeling in his gut told him where to expect to find the boy. Arriving in front of his bedroom door, Pally skidded to a stop, stumbling over his feet, his breathing heavy and distorted. He quickly grabbed the doorknob, clenching it tightly and turned it, about to push the door open when—

"Don't!"

He stopped, feeling extremely relieved upon hearing the familiar voice. Still panting heavily, Pally called out from behind the door,

"Chaser? Are you there?"

He heard a muffled cough, then silence.

"Chaser! Are you all right?! What happened?"

No response. Pally felt his chest clench and an eerie, suffocating feeling envelop his entire being. He called out once more,

"Chaser! Move out of the way, I'm opening the door!"

"N-No! Don't—"

Before the young assassin could finish, Pally swung the door open, knocking the smaller boy to the ground with a faint cry. His eyes soon adjusted to the dark room. He gasped at the sight in front of him, his eyes wide with fear.

"Chaser…?"

The boy's clothes were all tattered, and small cuts were inflicted everywhere on his fragile body. He coughed, trying to prop himself up. Pally quickly shut the door behind him, turning the lights on. He knelt by the boy, his arms hovering over the delicate body, unsure of what to do. His mind started to panic. _'Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…' _He quickly picked the boy up and walked to his soft, white bed, laying the injured assassin down and sitting him up gently, darting his scared, blue eyes around the room, wondering what to do next.

Chaser stared at the panicking prince with half-lidded eyes, his breathing heavy and irregular. He felt no pain, but his body felt extremely tired. He badly wanted to close his eyes and fall asleep. _'Looks like I underestimated them a little bit…'_

As if he had read the boy's mind, Pally quickly shouted out,

"No, no! Don't fall asleep!"

His voice was quivering, and his eyes were shaking. He quickly cupped the young assassin's cheeks in his hands and closed his eyes, placing their foreheads together.

"It's okay, it's okay. You'll be all right, you'll live. It's okay, it's okay…"

The usually calm and collected prince repeated those words, seemingly assuring himself more-so than the injured assassin. He quickly released his hands, pulling away from the boy, opening his eyes. He furrowed his brows, his eyes still shaking with uncontrollable fear. With trembling hands, he leaned over the boy, pulling him closer as he unzipped the maid outfit, revealing the boy's bare chest.

Pally grimaced at the sight. The damage dealt was worse than he had thought. There were no fatal injuries, but the immense number of wounds would leave a normal man hospitalized for months. Unconsciously, he ran his right hand over the wounds, earning a sharp gasp from the young assassin. Pally quickly retracted his hand, crying out many "I'm sorry"s as he darted his eyes around. _'What do I do, what do I do?'_

Throwing the boy's black coat on the bed, Pally stood up, and started tearing a piece of his elegant, white suit off. He lifted the boy's right arm and started wrapping the torn fabric around it. Was this what he was supposed to do? He had studied and exceled in the medical fields, but the prince could not concentrate – his mind was running around everywhere, and refused to calm down. He tore of more pieces of his shirt, ignoring the upset complaints his tailors would have upon seeing its tattered state, and continued to wrap them around the smaller boy's wounds.

Upon finishing the upper body, Pally moved his hands to the boy's hips, about to work on bandaging his legs, but was stopped when Chaser tugged lightly on his left arm. Pally raised his head, locking eyes with the assassin's large blue ones. Chaser closed his eyes and slowly shook his head.

"B-But, your wounds! They'll—"

Chaser shook his head again. He opened his eyes, gazing sincerely at the hysterical prince, and smiled.

"It's okay… …Thank you."

He spoke quietly, his voice barely audible even at such a close distance. Pally felt himself calm down at his words. Yes, he was all right. He was injured, but he was okay. And he was still alive. He pulled the boy close in a loose embrace, feeling his heartbeat drastically slow down. _'He's all right, Chaser's all right…'_

Suddenly, the prince found himself filled with resent. He pulled away hastily, holding onto the boy's delicate shoulders. He looked at the boy, his face contorted with rage,

"Who did this to you?"

Chaser flinched at the sudden change in emotion, averting his gaze. He knew that the prince would go after the culprit and possibly get hurt himself. Especially considering the strength of their opponent…

"It's the ministry, isn't it?"

Surprised, the young assassin quickly looked back, connecting blue eyes with blue eyes. He shook his head, his eyebrows lowered in worry. _'No, don't go…'_

The prince looked away and cussed, a dangerous flame burning vibrantly in his cerulean eyes.

"Damn it… How dare they…"

Chaser widened his eyes as Pally pulled away. Exerting all his remaining strength, he tugged on the prince's white sleeve.

"No… Don't…"

The blond prince turned to look at the boy's worried face, taken aback as tears started to gather and fall down the smaller boy's pale cheeks. He quickly leaned over, wiping away all the tears that stained his face. Gently caressing the boy's cheek, Pally planted a quick kiss on his forehead, whispering soothing words to the injured boy, his tone far more kind than it was mere moments ago.

"Shh… It's all right. I'll be fine." He planted another kiss on the boy's nose. "I'll be back shortly, I promise."

Leaving behind a bitter smile, Pally laid the boy down and tucked him into the red-stained bed. He turned around and walked away briskly, clenching his fists tightly as his mind was taken over by anger. Unbeknownst to the enraged prince, the young assassin was trying to crawl out of the bed and after the fleeting prince. He winced in pain as nerves from all over his body sent blaring signals to his brain, but he ignored them. Breathing heavily, he reached his arm out and spread his palms open, forcing his vocal chords to call out at the prince. But no sound came out of his throat, only weak sobs and cries. His mind started to panic, forming as tears on his red-tinted face. _'No, no! Pally, don't! You'll get killed! Please, don't leave!'_

His thoughts went unnoticed as the prince turned off the lights and opened the door, storming out into the dark hallway. Despaired, Chaser pushed himself out of the bed, falling harshly onto the ground. He coughed, gasping for breath pitifully as he tried to crawl his way to the door, but to no avail. His body was far too weak, too tired. For now, all he could do was close his blurry eyes and sleep...

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Woot~, another chapter done~. Well, actually, this was supposed to be one big chapter, but I cut it since it was getting kinda long... ...And I was getting kinda lazy, hehe... XD /shot

After this one, there'll be... Mmm, maybe two more chapters left?

Also, I'm sorry if this chapter seemed kinda... All over the place? I tried to make the transition as smooth as possible though I still think it's a little messy... x_x

But uh, yeah! Another chapter down~!

...I can't believe this is ending already. *Cries in corner*

Well, as always, thank you for reading this far and I hope you're excited for the next chapter. c:

Feedback of any sorts is always welcome~.

**Guest Anon: **Why, thank you~. I tried not to make it too cliche, hope I succeeded, haha... Yeah... I didn't want to abuse DC too much in this story. Might as well let him survive as a virgin, until he meets Pally, right? XD /shot Oh, wait. He'll technically still be a virgin even after that... ...Just, no longer an ass-virgin. /shot And don't worry, it's not inconvenient. I love writing for this story, though sometimes I get a little lazy, eheheh~. XD


	8. Chapter 7 - The Final Farewell

**~ Chapter Seven: The Final Farewell ~**

Pally stormed down the empty hallway, his mind completely taken over by ire. Upon arriving at the ministers' council room, he slammed the wooden door open, leaving a deep crack in the wall, and a loud sound vibrating through the large room. He quickly surveyed the white-marble room, noticing that the large, rounded oak-wood table and matching chairs for meetings had been removed.

"My, my. Your highness, it is very impolite to barge into a room in such a manner. And pray, might I ask, what happened to your suit? Your tailors will be very upset to see its current state."

The furious prince turned to face the speaker at the other end of the room – a tall man with messy brown hair and fierce, golden eyes; wearing the silver and red armor of the infamous Red Knights, and the vibrant crimson cape of Hamel's Royal Ministers. Pally straightened his back, glaring at the un-amused man like a wolf to a rabbit.

"You!" He spat out harshly. "Were you the one who harmed my personal servant?"

The man chuckled lightly, a small grin faintly visible on his lips.

"Your highness, we of the royal minsters aim to provide you with the highest quality of life one can possibly attain. It is inexcusable to allow the position of your personal assistant to be taken by such a worthless—"

"Chaser is _not_ worthless!"

Pally was absolutely furious. He did not care that the offenders were his own ministers. Rather, he was more angered by the fact that they had and was willing to harm and degrade his precious friend. He clenched his fists and continued to attack the man with intense acrimony,

"I will not allow you to continue casting such aspersion onto my servant. I demand you apologize for your insolence behavior, at once!"

For a brief moment, silence passed between the two. The taller, and evidently older man then raised his right hand slightly and, chuckling eerily, swung it down. At the simple gesture, a short man clad in black leapt out from the shadows, aiming a long but thin sword at the prince's defenseless back.

Used to such actions from his own assassin, Pally quickly turned around and grabbed the man's bladed wrist, clenching it tightly as he pried the blade loose. Without a moment to spare, he twisted the man's arm in a humanly impossible way, and forced the sword to pierce directly through his throat. Ignoring the man's cries of agony, Pally pulled the blade out, flicking the blood off as the man fell and convulsed in silent anguish before shortly passing away. He turned to face the man before him, locking his flaming blue eyes with emotionless golden ones. He spoke slowly, his voice full of venom,

"What is the meaning of this?"

The man bowed mockingly.

"It is to prepare you with a blade, your highness, for the events that are yet to follow."

"The events that follow…?"

The prince received no answer. He watched as the older man raised his left hand, and snapped. Almost instantly, he was surrounded by dozens of various blades pointing straight at him. He quickly glanced around, noticing many fighters – fifty or so – approximately the size of a small front-lines army, resolutely obeying the golden-eyed minister. Common assassins, thieves, bandits, mercenaries, soldiers from Velder, even soldiers from his own Imperial Army. Pally growled lowly in irritation, his pounding heart demanding for bloodshed.

"I will inquire once more – what is the meaning of this? Have you no shame for your family name?"

The golden-eyed man laughed menacingly.

"Your highness, I do not believe you are in the position to be inquiring about topics other than your safety."

Pally scoffed, raising his left hand to place it dauntingly on his hips, completely ignoring the sharp blades merely inches away from his body.

"Are you questioning my authority? Your looks imply that you are a descendant of Yulatio. What would your ancestor say if he saw you threatening your king in such a ruthless manner?"

"My ancestor would praise me, your highness. You have abandoned your duties as king – even before you were cast unto a deep sleep – forcing the ministry to shoulder all your responsibilities. Even now, you continue to live an ignorant and sinful life of luxury, cradled by your many maids and butlers. Do you really believe that you are still worthy to serve the country of Senace?" He laughed. "The other ministers and I agree that you are not suitable for the throne of Hamel. The royal family is no longer needed. Us ministers can and will take better control of the country."

Taking a few steps forwards, the golden-eyed minister spoke smugly to the prince as he drew his sword – an elaborately decorated silver falchion.

"How about this, your highness? We shall have a little duel, first strike that draws blood wins. If you are able to even graze me, I will gladly accept you as the proper heir to Hamel's throne, and will discuss your coronation with the other ministers."

With a wave of his left hand, the golden-eyed minister called off his loyal subordinates. As he watched the various fighters form an arena around the two, Pally scoffed, raising his right arm and taking an offensive stance. It was obvious that it wasn't going to be a simple and fair little duel, but the blond prince was strongly intent on winning the fight – for him, for Chaser. _'Prepare yourself… …For I'll be bringing you to the doors of Hell!'_

Blue eyes locked onto golden ones as both swordsmen readied their blades. Taking the offensive, Pally hastily ran in, closing their distance and executed a simple horizontal slash with his one-handed sword. Surprised at the sudden attack, the minister was delayed in his dodge, watching with eyes wide upon seeing the tips of his bistre hair and crimson cloth get torn. He stumbled backwards, marveling at the prince's exquisite swordsmanship. _'For a selfish brat, it is amazing that he knows how to even wield a sword.' _He chuckled.

"Forfeiting already?" The prince asked haughtily, earning another short laugh from the golden-eyed minister.

"Of course not, your highness. Let us continue."

Before he had even finished speaking, Pally had already dived in for another horizontal slash. More focused this time, the minister quickly raised his thicker blade, effectively blocking the powerful strike and temporarily stunning the prince. Without missing a beat, the minister rotated his bladed hand inwards, countering the prince's simple strike and sending both the thin sword and his knee to the ground.

"Gah!"

The blond prince strengthened his grip, quickly picking himself up and moving out of the way as the older male's silver blade smashed into the ground, cracking the smooth, white tiles. The two contestants locked eyes once more – each knowing very well that this was no simple 'first blood duel'. Seizing the opportunity, Pally rammed his shoulder into the older male's body, launching them both to the ground. While the minister fumbled in shock at the barbaric tactic, Pally hastily picked himself up, pulling back his arm to launch a simple thrust at the defenseless man. He bounced back suddenly, stumbling over his own feet at the unexpected rebound. Collecting himself, he stared at the glowing, maize barrier in front of him. Upon closer examination, a large but faint sunset-red sigil rested in the middle of the barrier – the number '3', surrounded by an oriental dragon, slowly rotating clockwise around the '3'. Pally lowered his sword as he continued to glare at the minister, casually picking himself off and dusting his shoulders.

"What is the meaning of this?" The prince asked, irritated, pointing his sword to the light-yellow barrier.

Raising his falchion once more, the minister replied matter-of-factly,

"As your highness has used such a… …Inelegant tactic in a swords match, I feel that it is only fair for me to be allowed a second method of attack."

Pally growled lowly, feeling his adrenaline rise at the minister's every word. He watched as the barrier faded, and as soon as it disappeared, lunged himself forwards in another basic thrust. Unfortunately, his attack was easily anticipated and parried, resulting in both parties fighting for dominance. Impatient, Pally added his left hand onto his blade's hilt, forcing the minister back. Struggling to withstand the incoming force with one hand, the minister extracted his left hand, quickly drawing a basic restricting rune with an upside down equilateral triangle in the middle – the alchemic symbol for water. Almost immediately, two small, glaucous-shaded, circular barriers were formed around the prince's wrists, numbing them and drastically weakening his attack.

Without even giving the prince time to react, the golden-eyed minister applied a large amount of force to his blade, easily knocking the prince back. He quickly followed up with a basic vertical strike, followed by two basic horizontal slashes. Dodging the first strike, Pally raised his sword, forcing his hands to strengthen their grip, merely only knocking the silver falchion's attack away.

No longer able to rely on his hands, Pally lowered his arms, and, barely dodging another vertical slash, launched himself forward at the older male with a savage head-butt. He quickly stood up and jabbed his knee at the man's stomach, earning a pained grunt in response. Taking a step back, Pally launched a powerful kick at the same location, knocking away the elegantly crafted falchion. As the minister fell on his back, breathless, Pally jumped on him, pinning his knees beside the older man's hips and positioning his shins and feet over the heavily armored legs, effectively pinning the man's lower body down to the ground. He grabbed the minister's neck with his left hand, and as the golden-eyed minister desperately clawed for breath, Pally exerted all his strength into his frozen right hand, raising it high above his head and slamming it down at the minister's tanned face. The blade landed only millimeters to the right of the minister's head, crudely chopping away strands of long, bistre hair.

Gasping heavily for breath, Pally pulled the sword out of the marble flooring, and with great difficulty, raised it above his head again. _'This time… …I won't miss.'_

The minister suddenly smiled darkly, speaking quietly in between heavy breaths.

"And what about your precious assassin?"

Pally stopped his hand, surprised at the minister's words, unsure of how to perceive them. Feeling the grip around his neck loosen, the minister quickly took a deep breath and snapped his left hand twice. An observing mercenary quickly ran out of the crowd and into the arena, drawing his broadsword and aiming it at the defenseless prince's back.

Although he could hear the swordsman coming straight at him, Pally could not dodge or counter the attack. Dodging the incoming blade would leave him vulnerable for an attack from the minister, and his wrists were still frozen by the blue runes, leaving his arms useless. His mind started to race, searching for another possible choice, but he could think of none. His heartbeat grew in intensity, ringing through his ears as sweat started to form on his forehead. He gritted his teeth. What could he do in such a situation? Breathing deeply, Pally strengthened his grip on the minister's throat. _'I can at least take down their leader…' _With such a thought, he clenched his teeth, bracing for the impact.

_Bang!_

Hearing a soft 'thump' behind him, and no metal to his body, Pally turned his head, looking over his shoulders, his eyes widening at the sight of the newcomer.

"Cha…ser?"

The young assassin was standing by the doorway, breathing heavily, faint traces of smoke coming from the barrel of his silver pistol. He had donned his usual black coat, though his tattered pants revealed many unhealed cuts and bruises. Pulling out a second gun with his left hand and scanning it around the crowd, Chaser skillfully reloaded his first pistol, a familiar smirk pasted on his thin lips.

"Anyone else want to try killing the prince?"

His tone was bold and daunting, completely different than the quiet, airy voice Pally last heard. The tired prince couldn't help but smile, relieved that the boy was safe from harm. His expression suddenly went dark. Not daring to weaken his hold on the minister, Pally called out to the boy behind him, his tone full of anxiety and worry,

"Chaser! Get out, now! The ministry—"

"Stuuuuuuuupid prince." The assassin interrupted, surprising the blond prince. "I already know the royal ministry is trying to kill you off – isn't that right, Mr. Penensio?"

He turned to face his former client, laughing mentally at his current position – pinned down and completely vulnerable, a quick and easy finish. The golden-eyed minister gave an amused snort, and replied with a monotonous voice,

"I see that you have failed my request."

"…Yeah."

The young assassin grimaced. His first failure, his first acceptance of defeat. If word got out that he, the infamous Tracker of Death, failed an assassination, his name and reputation would plummet in the red-light districts. He exhaled slowly. This was the path he had chosen, there would be no turning back. He breathed deeply, sharpening his eyes and solidifying his resolve. _'Yes, this is what I have decided to do.'_

Still scanning the room with his left hand, Chaser aimed his second pistol at the minister, preparing for a quick finish. While the prince was distracted by the sudden appearance of the young assassin, Penensio raised his right hand slightly, making sure to hide it from both blond males. With his index finger, he drew a small, but complicated and very powerful rune and etched two equilateral triangles, facing up, in the middle, one with a small cross beneath it – the symbols for fire and sulfur. Noticing a faint red glow to his left, Pally quickly turned his head, just in time to see a flaming red rune explode in his face.

"Pally!"

Chaser did not move from his position, not daring to allow even a millisecond for the audience members to attack. He bit his lower lip, mentally praying that the prince was unharmed. The gray smoke cleared at an alarmingly fast rate, revealing the silhouettes of two sturdy swordsmen. Upon seeing the still-standing prince, Chaser sighed, relieved, and relaxed his shoulders. He quickly tensed up again, remembering that he was in the middle of a battlefield – surrounded by enemies, no less.

Gasping heavily for breath, Pally adjusted his posture, sliding his feet apart into a risky, offensive stance. He gripped his thin sword, glad the ice-forming runes around his wrists wore off. Seeing that the prince had not yet fallen, Penensio readied his sword as well. Although both swordsmen appeared to be in excellent fighting condition, their numerous burns and wounds clearly indicated that the explosion had taken quite a toll on their bodies.

The golden-eyed minister quickly formed a blank rune in his left hand and stepped forwards, hoping to land a powerful first hit on the prince.

"Don't move."

He stopped abruptly, turning to look at the young assassin, only to lock his eyes with a loaded barrel. Still scanning the crowd with his other hand, the boy continued,

"I can be this far away from you and still land a bullet through your head before you can even blink."

The minister laughed.

"I can believe that. Not to worry though. I have already contacted Lento for reinforcements. I'm certain they will be arriving shortly. Though, I'm a little surprised that Ferindan was unable to dispose of you earlier this evening."

Chaser scoffed, replying with a cynical tone,

"Oh, you mean that little knight back there? She wasn't very difficult to take care of. As for that old grandpa minister…" A sinister smirk crept onto the assassin's face. "…Let's just say I made sure to properly conceal the bodies afterwards."

Penensio let out a small gasp, his eyes wide in both fear and shock. So many elite soldiers, all wiped out by one small boy? _'And he is still able to fight…'_ He let out a small chuckle. _'If only he had not fallen for the prince…'_

He dispersed the rune in his hand and straightened himself, his hand still gripped tightly on his falchion's hilt. He turned his gaze towards the silent prince in front of him, meeting his resolute, blue eyes. Without averting his gaze, Penensio spoke haughtily to the young assassin,

"I believe though, that his majesty and I have a duel that we've yet to finish."

Chaser opened his mouth, but was interrupted as the prince spoke for him.

"He's right. This is a battle between men, with our pride on the line. Please do not interfere."

Chaser closed his mouth and furrowed his brows. He could easily kill the knighted minister, but he did not wish to upset his friend. He exhaled slowly and lowered both pistols, mumbling incomprehensible nonsense about a certain "stupid prince".

Penensio took a deep breath and raised his sword to meet the prince's. He waved his left hand nonchalantly.

"Guards, prove yourselves useful and go entertain the assassin for a bit. Now then, your highness, shall we continue?"

Pally smirked. "Gladly."

As soon as the word left his mouth, Pally launched himself forwards, executing multiple backhand slashes at the minister. Dodging the first few, Penensio raised his sword to parry the following strikes. But he could not counter. He was slowly being pushed back by the prince's barbaric attacks. It was as if the prince had channeled his rage into an endless barrage of sword strikes. Penensio quickly drew a simple but weak barrier rune, stepping aside just as it clashed with a thin blade. He swung his sword down, only to have it blocked by the prince's quick reflexes.

While the two swordsmen exchanged blows, Chaser was firing a barrage of orichalcum bullets at the incoming mob of warriors. His legs were still badly injured from his previous fight, leaving him at a great disadvantage against the larger mob. He backed up to the wooden door, leaning on it for support.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

More bodies dropped down dead, casually thrown aside by their allies or used as a stepping stone. Chaser laughed at their conflicting movements. _'Ha! They're not in sync at all! This will be a piece of cake.' _Although his thoughts were confident, the young assassin knew that he would not be able to last much longer. He was feeling extremely tired and was running low on bullets. Still firing with his left arm, he quickly reloaded his other pistol, checking his coat for how many rounds he had left.

_'Three magazines; eighteen bullets.' _He cussed. There were still about thirty or so hardy soldiers left. Aside from his beloved pistols, the only weapons he had were extremely close-ranged blades, used for quick and stealthy assassinations.

_Thunk!_

A javelin soared over the crowd, stabbing itself through the thick door just mere inches away from the young boy's head. Chaser bit his lower lip, quickly scanning his cerulean eyes over the crowd for any other long-ranged attackers. _'I'll take care of those pests first. The close-ranged ones I can deal with, with my switchblade…'_

The sound of more gunfire echoed through the large room as spearmen and archers alike collapsed without another breath. Chaser ducked as an arrow landed where his head used to be. _'Shit! There's still another one?!'_

He checked his coat again. One more magazine left. He cussed again – louder this time – and fired a hole through the heads of any remaining archers he saw. He glanced at the prince, still clashing with the minister. Both swordsmen looked as if they were about to fall over at any given moment. Chaser smiled. _'Good, this'll be over soon…'_

A burst of pain surged through his body. Reflexively, Chaser pulled out his switchblade and stabbed at the figure to his left. The assassin below him fell down instantly, dead. He pulled the blade out of his left abdomen, gritting his teeth at the pain. A second surge of pain jolted from his right shoulder as a throwing knife lodged itself deep within the flesh, pinning him to the door. He grimaced, quickly pulling out the knife with some difficulty. He breathed heavily. He was getting careless.

Out of the corner of his half-lidded eyes, Chaser noticed a bandit heading towards the prince, unnoticed. Without thinking, he quickly fired another bullet in that direction, smirking as blood splattered from the bandit's head. He reloaded. Six bullets left.

"Gah…!"

He coughed, small drops of scarlet seeping out of his mouth. He quickly sliced at the Velderian soldier in front of him, taking out both his eyes. While the knight screamed and clawed at his eye sockets, Chaser pulled out the long blade gutted in his stomach. It was heavy, but he could use it as a backup weapon.

He noticed more bandits switching targets and running after the unwary prince.

_Bang! Bang!_

He swung the long-sword, slicing off the arm of a nearby mercenary. As the surprised man howled in pain, Chaser quickly stabbed them straight through the heart, ending their suffering. He fired another shot at the last archer in the group. _'Good, that should be all of them…'_

Eyes darting furiously, Chaser continued to fend off the lively mob. He cussed, noticing more soldiers heading towards the prince.

_Bang! Bang!_

He was lucky – one of his bullets pierced through two soldiers.

Chaser felt a blade graze his left arm, and turned to stab the unfortunate knight. A fancy blade lodged itself in the door, half an inch from the blond assassin's right shoulder. He briskly turned around, forcing his switchblade into the Hamelian knight's forehead. He let out a weak cry as a third blade found its way to his left shoulder. He gripped his stolen sword, flipping it around and stabbing the bandit behind him. He quickly pulled the scabbard out of his shoulder, sticking it in the stomach of a nearby mercenary.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed yet another fighter inching his way towards the prince's battle. He fired his final bullet, sweat and blood dripping off his chin as the knight joined the other corpses. His knees gave way below him, allowing him to dodge two uncoordinated attacks, resulting in both knights stabbing each other. He clenched his stomach, pain surging through every cell in his body. He breathed heavily, the pounding of his rapid heartbeat the only sound he could hear.

He forced his legs to stand up, noticing that the prince had turned to face him, an expression of pure horror on his pale face. His mouth was moving, but the young assassin could not hear anything. Chaser shifted his gaze, noticing the minister coat his blade with a powerful, flaming rune. His eyes widened as the silver falchion inched itself closer to the prince's unwary back.

With no other options, Chaser quickly pulled out a small grenade and threw it on the ground. As the fighters took notice of the explosive, they quickly scattered, making a path for the injured assassin. Time seemed to slow as he propelled his bloodied legs forwards, the constant drumming of his heart resounding through his ears. He tossed away his long-sword and dropped his beloved pistols, allowing his feet to move faster with less weight hindering him. He quickly pulled out his switchblade, stepping in front of the prince and stabbing the minister – a direct hit to the heart. He smirked victoriously as Penensio fell, his golden eyes wide with shock. As the knighted minister fell, his blade remained lingering in the air…

Chaser glanced down, noticing the falchion piercing through his chest. He grimaced. _'Shit… Looks like I was a little careless…'_

With great difficulty, he pulled the sword out of his body, falling as the adrenaline left his body. He was caught by comforting hands with a familiar touch. He looked up, meeting with familiar cerulean eyes. He blinked. Were those… Tears? For him? He smiled, touched by the prince's kind actions.

Pally kneeled down, cuddling the smaller boy's body in his arms. He raised the boy's head, planting a weak kiss on his forehead. He forced a smile, tears continuously pelting down on the boy's pale face.

"Chaser, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry… Please don't die, please…! Y-Your lollipops are arriving soon! So… Please don't die just yet…"

The blond prince continued to choke out his words, begging the gods above to release their hold on his beloved. He pulled the boy closer, nuzzling his head in the boy's neck, as if his embrace could stop the angels from claiming the young boy's soul.

"…Sorry…"

Pally raised his head, meeting with the boy's dull blue eyes.

"What was that? Keep talking, Chaser. Don't fall asleep… Please…"

The young assassin smiled. He could see the prince's lips moving, but he could not hear anything. He opened his mouth, his voice barely anything more than a whisper.

"I'm sorry… …That our game has to end…"

Pally cringed.

"No, no! Don't be sorry! Our game's not over! It'll continue! You'll live! So please, please Chaser, don't die!"

More tears started to fall from the prince's eyes. He bit his lower lip, trying to suppress all his cries, albeit unsuccessfully. He lowered his head, planting multiple kisses all over the boy's face.

"It was fun… Our game… Thank you…"

Chaser raised his left arm, gently stroking the prince's cheek as his mind started to blur. He could no longer feel the excruciating pain from before, and his eyelids were drooping. He was so, so very tired, but he couldn't sleep. Not just yet…

"Goodbye, Pally... And…"

Tears started to form from his own eyes as he forced his body to speak his final words.

"…I… Love you…"

And with those fleeting words, Chaser closed his eyes, his left arm falling away from the prince's warmth. Pally laughed weakly.

"Chaser, that's mean… Finally telling me the words I've been dying to hear, and…"

He trailed off, unable to continue speaking. His mind suddenly went blank. He gently shook the cold body in his arms.

"Hey, Chaser… I have one more command left right? I'll use it now, so. Please… Wake up…"

The boy did not even stir. A wave of overwhelming despair swept over the prince's weak heart. He wanted to cry, even more than he already was. He cursed the gods for taking away his lover, his beloved Chaser. _'No, not just them…' _He turned to glare at the remaining fighters, a beastly wrath burning like wildfire in his chest. He gently placed the boy down, picking up his sword once more, gripping the hilt so tightly his knuckles were white. He started to walk towards the crowd of uncertain fighters, his stride slow but dangerous. He raised his head, his tear-stained eyes flaming with inhuman wrath.

"You damnable little dastards… How dare you hurt Chaser… How dare you…"

Before any of the warriors could even take a step, Pally lunged himself at the closest person, cleanly slicing their head off. His head hung low, he walked slowly towards the next person. The bandit fought back, though he was easily overpowered by the furious prince. Slice. Slice. Slice. With a frighteningly calm demure, Pally continued to behead the numerous fighters – all petrified by the prince's demonic thirst for revenge. Slice. Slice. Slice. With a final stroke, the last head fell, splattering blood all over the prince's beautiful suit. But Pally did not care. His heart was suddenly blank, completely devoid of any emotions. He felt… Empty.

He exhaled slowly, dropping his sword and picking up the two silver guns before walking back to his fallen beloved. Gently, he picked up the small boy, cradling his delicate body as if he were a small child. He smiled, planting a soft kiss on the boy's forehead.

"Come on Chaser, let's head to bed. Tomorrow morning, let's go and get you a new maid outfit." He laughed weakly. "I wonder if your lollipops will arrive tomorrow… Don't eat too many though, or else you'll get sick." Another weak laugh.

Ignoring the many corpses below his feet, Pally walked to the damaged, wooden door, opening it and stepping into the empty hallway. Kissing the sleeping assassin once more, he turned and started to walk down the long hallway, back to their comfortable, white bedroom. Tears started to stream down his cheeks again, though he was unsure why. After all, Chaser was just sleeping. He's a little injured, but he'll be okay. He smiled.

_'Yeah, tomorrow, you'll wake up, and everything will be all right…'_

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Before anything, I have to apologize for this extremely late update. I had some difficulty writing the fighting scenes so... x_x

On a second note, oh my god, this has got to be the first time I felt like crying when writing a death scene. Poor Chaser... ;A;

...And then I just had to go and make Pally go insane. Yup. I'm so nice aren't I? XD /shot

But don't worry~! If you haven't noticed already, this story is still "In-Progress", so there's gonna be one final chapter, and the epilogue~.

...Of course, that'll probably take a while. Sorry. XD

So! As always, I hope you've enjoyed this story so far, and I hope you're excited for the final conclusion to our story~! :D

Oh, and feedback of any sorts is welcome too. Can't forget about that. /shot

**Guest Anon: **Thanks for your input! And don't worry, I wasn't mad... Or something. XD And yes he did~, even though it's not a complete kiss since it was only on the bottom lip, but it was still a kiss of sorts... Probably not a mouth-to-mouth kiss since Chaser's still very innocent about love~. XD Consider it a "goodbye" kiss or something, I guess. Or whatever you thought it was at first. I'm not entirely sure myself now, haha... /shot


	9. Chapter 8 - Good Morning, My Dear

**~ Chapter Eight: Good Morning, My Dear ~**

Chaser awoke to the hypnotic sound of a quiet, constant beeping. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking multiple times as his vision sharpened. A white ceiling. Was he back in the prince's bedroom? He glanced around, noticing the exceptionally small and bland, window-less room.

Grunting, he propped himself up, noticing the small wooden bed he was lying in and the thin, light-blue blanket covering him. He leaned on the back of the bed frame, tilting his head upwards and letting a slow sigh escape his mouth. He gazed around the room some more, noticing the small, wooden door across the room; a stool to his right, and a small bedside table with a very small, peculiar box-shaped machine atop. Upon closer inspection, the machine displayed only one large screen – black with sharp green lines and many, many numbers. Aside from the numerous black cords protruding from the machine, there was also a thin gray one that connected to his right arm. A heartbeat sensor of sorts, perhaps? The young assassin did not know, and he was never very knowledgeable with machinery to begin with.

He glanced down, his face twisting into an expression of both embarrassment and disgust when he noticed the slightly translucent white nightgown he was wearing. It had felt like such a long time ago since he last saw it, but he was certain this was the very nightgown the prince had worn during their first encounter. He sighed. Where was he? What happened? How long has he been asleep? Where were all his belongings? And, most importantly, where was the prince? As his mind overflowed with various questions, Chaser suddenly began to feel very lonely in the quiet room. He bit his bottom lip and started to pout. How badly he wanted to see his beloved Pally…

"Oh! You're finally awake!"

Chaser turned to face the voice, his eyes widening with surprise at the newcomer. Although she was now wearing the white robed uniform of the Holy Priests, her emerald green eyes and matching hair – tied into a high ponytail, as always – along with her bright smile were so familiar, so unforgettable to the young assassin.

"M-Mother Wind?"

The beautiful elf smiled, a small basket of small bottles and bandages in her arms. She walked over to the bed, placed the basket on the table, and sat down, chiding the shocked boy with a gentle, motherly tone.

"You were very, very lucky Chaser. When we first saw you again – Raven and I – we were both very scared. You were covered in all sorts of nasty wounds, and the boy who brought you in; his eyes were clouded with self-delusion. It's quite amusing, now that I think about it – a random stranger coming to you with a near-dying friend, who suddenly talks about wanting to meet your 'parents' and informing us of your marriage."

Chaser quickly felt his face flush, turning his head away from the laughing elf.

"…It's a good thing that the two of you shared the same blood type. Even though us elves are known for our outstanding healing abilities, it was still a miracle that you survived with such bad injuries. Give me your arm, now."

Gently taking ahold of the small boy's right arm, Wind pushed the sleeve upwards, revealing his pale, thin arm, covered with many closing wounds. Without making eye contact, she opened a bottle and started applying a light green ointment on the boy's wounds. He winced at the sudden pain, earning a light laugh from the elven lady.

"Don't worry, the pain will go away soon." Chaser nodded, unsure of what to say. A moment of silence passed between the two, as Wind wrapped a clean bandage around his arm. A sudden wave of memories flew through Chaser's head – memories of his final encounter with his client, Penensio. He grimaced, feeling a little guilty for leaving the prince with such a negative parting. He suddenly opened his mouth, stuttering slightly as he spoke,

"Um, that boy, who brought me here…"

"What is it?" The elf asked cheerfully.

"…Where is he?"

The green elf laughed, raising her head to make eye contact, her emerald-green eyes shining mischievously.

"Do you miss him?"

"O-Of course not!" Chaser quickly averted his gaze, feeling heat rise to his cheeks, and an all-too-familiar, unsettling feeling swarm his stomach regions.

Wind laughed again. Wiping her fingers with a napkin, she closed the small bottle and pulled the nightgown's sleeve back down, over the boy's delicate arm. Hearing the door open, both boy and elf turned to face the newcomer – a black-haired, tan man donned in the male Holy Priests uniform, with sharp golden eyes and a scar on his right cheek. The two smiled at the familiar face.

"Raven~! Look! Chaser finally woke up~." The elf called cheerfully.

Closing the door behind him, Raven walked over to the bedridden boy, a rare smile faintly visible on his lips. With his right arm, he patted the boy's head, ruffling his messy blond hair.

"Welcome back."

Chaser giggled childishly at the touch. Retracting his arm, the black-haired man turned to face the elf.

"He's here."

"Oh, already? That was fast…"

Wind calmly picked up her basket, stood up, and slowly walked to the door, with Raven trailing quietly behind her. As she placed her hand on the doorknob, she turned to face the young boy, her bright smile never leaving her face.

"There's a visitor waiting to see you. I think you'll be happy to see him too."

And without another word, the two priests left the room, closing the door quietly behind them. Chaser watched their retreating figures, curious as to who the visitor could be. He half-hoped that it was Pally but… He quickly shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he felt his cheeks redden.

Chaser jumped as the door suddenly slammed open. He turned to face the panting all-too-familiar figure by the doorway – dressed in a fancy, light-blue noble's suit, a small, white gift bag in his right hand. Catching his breath, the blond prince closed the door and slowly walked towards the assassin – tears threatening to fall out of his beautiful blue eyes.

"Chaser? Is it really you?"

The young assassin smiled smugly.

"You're late, stupid Pally."

The prince smiled, raising his free hand to cover his mouth as tears started streaming down his pale cheeks. He briskly strode over to the bed and sat on the stool, placed the bag down, and took the boy's left hand in both of his gloved hands. He kissed the delicate hand many times, not daring to ever let it go again. He raised his head, just as Chaser moved in to plant a soft kiss on the prince's forehead. They laughed.

"Hey, that's supposed to be my job." The prince teased, wiping his tears away.

He let go of the assassin's hand and shifted closer. Cupping the boy's cheeks in his hands, he placed their foreheads together, and closed his eyes, sharing a brief moment of relief – thankful, that they were both alive. Taking advantage of the moment, Pally tilted his head, leaning in to share a tender kiss with the young assassin. Much to his surprise, the boy did not push him away, even parting his lips slightly, allowing the prince access.

Their tongues intertwined, Pally pulled away to allow the boy to breathe, a thin trail of saliva connecting their mouths. Licking his lips, he reached for the boy's hands, laughing lightly at his familiar, flustered face.

"By the way, what day is it?" The young assassin looked at the prince, tilting his head innocently as he waited for the prince to answer. The corners of Pally's lips fell as his tone fell serious.

"The date is… March 27th, Imperial Calendar 530, a little more than a hundred years since you lost consciousness."

Chaser laughed childishly, earning a teasing smile from the beautiful prince.

"And how are you still alive, exactly?" He questioned haughtily, a playful smirk pasted on his lips. Pally scoffed in response, folding his arms and crossing a leg over the other as he replied smugly.

"Why, I'm the greatest king Hamel has ever seen. Considering my abilities, it wouldn't be surprising if I lived for another five million years!"

Chaser gave an amused snort, opening his mouth to speak, but quickly closing it as the prince continued, with a softer tone, unfolding his arms.

"And plus… …I wanted to see you."

The young assassin felt his face flush with heat, but he could not tear his gaze away from the prince's blue eyes – the beautiful and kind eyes that watched over him, worried for him, cried for him… …The eyes that loved him. Feeling his ears heat up, Chaser looked down and smiled sheepishly, earning a small chuckle from the prince. He raised an arm to cover his crimson-red face, resuming eye contact with the still-smiling prince.

"So, what day is it really?"

"January 20th, Imperial Calendar 428, about nine months after you got injured…" He trailed off, furrowing his brows in pain at the unpleasant memories. Noticing this, Chaser quickly searched his mind, feeling very certain that the date, this day right before his own birthday, was very important somehow…

"Ah! Today's your birthday isn't it? Happy birthday, Pally!" The prince widened his eyes, slightly surprised, before relaxing them, a bright smile returning to his face.

"You remembered… …Thank you." He closed an eye seductively. "So, since you were asleep all this time, does that mean you'll be offering yourself as a birthday gift?"

"W-What?! Of course not! T-That sort of thing… I—" He was cut off by more laughter. He pouted, whining childishly about a certain "stupid, perverted prince", earning yet another laugh from the blond prince.

"I'm just kidding. Your awakening, and being still alive, is the best gift I could have ever received." He leaned in, placing a soft kiss on the boy's forehead. "I love you Chaser."

The young assassin felt his heart melt. Feeling slightly timid, and extremely embarrassed, Chaser tugged on the prince's sleeve, beckoning him to move closer. As the prince leaned in unknowingly, Chaser gathered up all his courage, and gently pecked the older boy's cheek. He quickly pulled back, avoiding eye contact as he muttered out his response.

"I-I love you too, Pally…"

The prince stared in awe, smiling like a fool while trying to suppress the intense urge to cuddle the boy and kiss him all over. _'He's just, so cute…' _He thought to himself. Remembering about the gifts he brought, originally as an early birthday gift to the boy, as well as a prayer of sorts, Pally leaned over and pulled out a large, pink and white swirl lollipop and offered it to the boy.

"By the way, your lollipops arrived a few months ago. They're still in perfect condition – all five thousand of them." He smiled as the boy beamed, overjoyed at the sight of his favorite sweets.

Without thinking, Chaser pulled the prince closer, wrapping his arms around the older boy's neck childishly.

"Thank you Pally! I love you!" He called out cheerfully.

The prince sighed amusingly. He smiled, returning the embrace. He then pulled back and peeled the wrapping off, handing it to the young assassin as he took it quickly, sucking on it cheerfully like a small child. Pally laughed lightly at the boy's actions. _'This side of him is really cute too…'_

He closed his eyes, clearing his love-struck mind, opening them again as he thought of a plan for his lover's birthday the following day.

"Hey Chaser," Said assassin turned to look at the prince, curiosity shining brightly in his cerulean eyes. Pally continued,

"Your birthday's tomorrow, and your wounds are mostly healed, right? So let's hold a party in the castle. It can be just the two of us, if you'd like."

Chaser smiled sweetly.

"…Yeah, I'd like that."

Without any warning, Pally leaned in, stealing another kiss from the young assassin, leaving him fretting over the sudden action.

"W-What was that for?"

"Mmm… No reason, I just wanted to see what the lollipop tastes like." He smiled mischievously. "But, as I thought, it's nowhere near as sweet as my beloved Chaser."

Chaser glanced away, before replying hesitantly, a fluttering feeling about to explode in his heart.

"N-No… I think Pally is the sweeter one, always being so kind to me and…" He trailed off, his face colored a vibrant red.

Pally laughed, leaning in to kiss the boy's lips quickly.

"Nah, Chaser's definitely the sweetest one."

Another kiss, more deep and tender this time.

"I love you, Chaser."

"…I love you too."

* * *

Chaser glanced at the wooden clock, noticing that it was almost noon. He jumped off the wooden desk and ran over to the white sofa, hastily putting on his midnight-black coat. He looked at his left hand, a beautiful and light silver ring rested on his fourth finger, a small but priceless Water El shard engraved with the royal family crest of Hamel sat comfortably as the centerpiece. He smiled, taking the ring off and carefully tucking it away in one of his many inner coat pockets. He slipped on his white gloves, deciding not to change into his pants or shoes. His puffy skirt proved more than useful for storing extra bullets and blades and he was already running a little bit late. Strapping his signature blue scarves over his shoulders, he glanced behind him, calling out to his lover.

"I'm leaving now~!"

The young man across the room furrowed his brows in worry.

"Should you really be working again? I know it's already been two years since the incident but…"

"Don't worry! I'll be fine! I _am _the infamous Tracker of Death, whose never failed to complete any task before~."

The young king laughed. "Except for this one." He teased, pointing to himself.

The young assassin pouted as he tried to come up with a good comeback.

"Well, I kinda did. I mean, the old, 'cold-hearted Prince Pally' is dead." He strode over to the desk, leaning his hands on the wooden surface. "And as a replacement, there's my beautiful and kind Pally."

He kissed the young king, earning a light laugh from the older male.

"My~, you've grown so bold over these two years." Pally said teasingly. He closed an eye. "Maybe we should finally bond with our bodies tonight?"

He laughed again as he watched the younger boy grow flustered, his face dark red, his eyes quickly glancing around the room, avoiding eye contact.

"M-Maybe after we get married…" His voice trailed off quietly, still obviously embarrassed by the king's relentless teasing.

Pally smiled, standing up and leaning over the desk to caress the smaller boy's maturing face. He still had a very feminine look to him, and his eyelashes had grown longer, but his enchanting cerulean eyes stayed the same – kind, loving, childish, and sweeter than a mountain of sugar. He brushed the boy's messy bangs away, planting a soft kiss on his pale forehead.

"There are tailors coming today, to prepare your suit for tomorrow. So definitely be back before seven. I'll also be announcing our engagement at my coronation tomorrow."

"Okay." Chaser nodded cheerfully, a soft blush still visible on his cheeks.

Smiling pensively, Pally stroked the boy's head, ruffling his soft hair. He kissed him again – on the lips this time.

"Take care, and come back quickly."

He reluctantly removed his hand, sitting back down in his velvet-lined chair. The young assassin nodded, lightly running over to the door. Turning the doorknob, he glanced over his shoulders again, waving goodbye to the blond king.

Pally raised his hand in reply, watching as his beloved's small figure disappeared through the door. He sighed, a little worried, and started to fiddle with his engagement ring. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a small lollipop on his desk, a yellow sticky-note attached. He picked the note up, unable to control his laughter as he read the neat handwriting.

_'Don't worry too much! I'll be fine!_

_And you should eat some sweets once in a while too – as I thought, 5,000 is just too much for one person!_

_—Chaser_

_P.S. I love you Pally!'_

He placed the note down, picking the lollipop up and unwrapping it, popping it into his mouth. It was sweet. But not nearly as sweet as his beloved Chaser. He smiled.

"I love you too, Chaser."

* * *

**~ Author's Notes ~**

Aaaaand finished~! I tried to think of a logical method to bring Chaser back to life, and, well... None really came to mind. XD

But then I remembered how Chaser was talking about his little Elgang, with WS in it~. So~, cue the Airelinna fairy~! /shot

I also considered writing an ending, where Pally drove himself to madness, believing that Chaser was still alive but... I really do want a happy ending with this couple. And plus, I don't think many readers would be very pleased with that sort of ending *coughcoughSweetTrickercough*. XD

So! Here's a very short chapter, and even shorter epilogue to wrap up our little story. Thanks for reading, and I hope you've grown to like IPxDC even just a little bit more! :D

I've started to work on my next story, but it's a oneshot this time. A really long oneshot, I might add. So it'll probably take a few days, haha...

Back on topic with this story, once again, thank you for reading this story! Thank you to all you readers out there, and a big thank you to my very supportive reviewers. And a quick shout out to Messiah-sama for helping me with chapter 7's battle scenes~ (and for not sending Eve in to kill everyone /shot).


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